Close to the city centre and within easy reach of the road-rail network, Hedley House Hotel is one of the best York hotels, with modern comfortable surroundings, great food and outstanding personal service.

Built in 1845 in the heart of the Victorian city, many of our rooms still include the original fireplace features. Combined with en-suite facilities, hospitality trays and digital widescreen TVs, our rooms are a subtle blend of contemporary modern and historic.

Their intimate award-winning licensed restaurant is a great place to spend an evening or start the night. The restaurant serves a range of home cooked healthy meals, snacks and light bites, all freshly cooked using only award-winning ingredients.

Knowle House is a large Victorian terrace house situated off Bootham on the North side  of the city of York.  York Minster is within a six to eight minute walk.  It is also next door to and under the same ownership as Hedley House Hotel. These York self catering apartments are self-contained, fully furnished and contain all necessary linen, crockery and cutlery.  All have central heating, colour television, electric cooker and fridge.  Wireless internet is available. All but one of the apartments have direct dial telephone.

In a city where car parking space is limited, Hedley House Hotel and Apartments have 19 allotted parking spaces. When these spaces are full there is room for 8 more vehicles in the middle of the car park, the keys to these must be left at reception in case of emergency. The car park operates on a “first come first served” basis.  If this is unacceptable there is a large public car park (chargeable) 2 minutes walk from the hotel.

A full system audit includes leak detection, measurement of energy consumption, and flow measurement including pressure, temperature and final air quality.

As utility rates continue to rise and firms continue to look to green initiatives, energy consumption has become a growing concern for manufacturers.

One of the largest energy users within a plant is the compressed air system. Energy recovery provides a cost-effective way for manufacturers to reduce their energy bills while simultaneously benefiting the environment by capturing the thermal energy created through the compression process and putting it to work. Where the heat produced from a compressor can be fully utilised, simple payback periods of less than two years are frequently achieved.

Having already worked with Carbon Trust on a variety of projects, Terram called on its expertise when faced with rising energy costs. The specialist manufacturer of geosynthetic materials, employing 95 staff at its manufacturing plant near Pontypool, worked with Industrial Air Power to eliminate energy inefficiencies and redesign and install a new air compressor system. The result was an industry best in terms of energy usage and savings of £202,000 per annum. It also produced:

* Energy savings of approximately 11.25 million kWh over five years
* Cost savings of approximately £1m in five years
* Emission savings of 7,390 tonnes CO2 in the same period
* Payback of approximately 24 months

David Roberts, control engineer at Terram Ltd, said: “The savings we are seeing now are unbelievable but just as important is the fact that we are reducing our carbon emissions and therefore benefiting the environment.”

Although Terram had already started to investigate the costs for new compressed air systems, it hadn’t looked at where, when, how much air was being used. Carbon Trust helped it identify this and used Industrial Air Power to design a system to meet its needs.

Having a tailor-made system installed in turn allowed Terram to capitalise on secondary savings such as heat recovery and compressed air leak reduction.

Ongoing monitoring of the fully automated system allows the savings to be quantified. Monitoring also ensures that the focus on savings is maintained and remains a high priority for Terram.

The new compressor system was located into the steam boiler house. This enabled Terram to recover the waste heat generated by the compressors and use this to raise the temperature of the water in the hot well, which feeds the boiler. Increased water temperature in turn reduces the amount of gas needed to generate steam.

The aggregated savings from the installation of the new system and implementation of the measures identified represented an 11.8 per cent reduction in the site’s energy consumption and overall a 38.7 per cent reduction in the electrical energy consumption directly associated with the generation of the compressed air.

An annual CO2 saving of 1,214 tonnes has been achieved plus an additional 264 tonnes from a reduction in gas usage due to the heat recovery process.

From monitoring the system, it was calculated that Terram was using on average 85m3/min of compressed air with an efficiency of 8kW/m/min, which equated to 7.2 million kWh per annum. By installing a new compressor set supplied by Industrial Air Power, it was calculated that the efficiency could be improved to 6kW/m3/min. Post-installation monitoring has proved that the new machinery provides an average efficiency of 5.8kW/m3/min – delivering significant savings. The gas savings are on top of this.

The benefits to Terram have been fourfold: a significant reduction in energy costs, the ability to protect plant integrity, reduced maintenance cost and the added benefit of reduced gas consumption from the increased water temperature in the steam boiler hot well.

Installing new Ingersoll Rand two stage fixed speed compressors along with a Nirvana two stage trim compressor, fully automated via a control system provided Terram with primary energy savings. Secondary savings came as a result of the heat recovery process, lower maintenance costs and the leak reduction programme.

The exercise has been successful in achieving reductions of CO2 emissions and the overall costs of supplying the service of compressed air to the business.

A Carbon Trust Wales consultant worked together with Industrial Air Power and Terram engineers providing impartial, independent advice enabling the company to make an informed decision and deliver value for money. Carbon Trust independently validated the energy savings and confirmed that they exceeded Industrial Air Power’s initial projections.

Through our experience in carrying out hundreds of compressed air audits we have identified the majority of existing compressed air systems include one or more of these deadly sins. This will have and adverse affect on your reliability, productivity and energy consumption.

* System over-pressurisation resulting in increased artificial demand
* Excessive waste through air leakage
* False loading of compressors due to lack of system automation and volume
* Inefficiency caused by cycling fixed output air compressors
* Excessive pressure drop

If you would like advice on calculating your savings potential and increasing your company’s profitability contact Industrial Air Power on 01656 658961, email sales@airpower.co.uk

The Glenburn Hotel is an elegantly appointed Edwardian property set in the Heart of Windermere offering delightful accommodation on a Bed & Breakfast or Half Board basis.

Returning year after year, visitors have enjoyed excellent service delicious food and comfort of the charming bedrooms. Whatever your reason for visiting the Lake District whether it be for it’s natural

beauty, stunning walks or just a well earned break Peter and Jackie Baister along with their friendly team will endeavour to make your stay as relaxed and as comfortable as possible.

The hotel’s great location is ideal for exploring the English Lake District. A ten minute stroll will take you to the vibrant area of Bowness and the Lake where boats will ferry you to many intriguing

destinations. Relax and enjoy ten miles of magic during the many sight seeing cruises taking in the breathtaking scenery, secluded bays and the wooded islands that surround England’s largest natural lake.

For the more energetic there are lots of walks to enjoy at your leisure including a gentle hike up to Orrest Head just a short walk from the hotel. Here you will find viewing point 750 feet high where you

can sit and enjoy magnificent views of the central fells, the Yorkshire Pennines and the Lakes or just to watch the sunset over this picturesque corner of England. Enjoy an early evening stroll along the

lakeside before returning to the hotel for a candlelit dinner in our lovely restaurant with food cooked to perfection by our resident chef Marcin. After dinner you can relax in the lounge on our comfy sofas

enjoying a coffee or your favourite tipple from the bar.

The Glenburn has ample on site parking so you can just park up and all amenities are within a short walking distance.

If you are celebrating an anniversary or birthday why not surprise your loved one by ordering champagne, chocolates, flowers or a birthday cake to be put in your room on arrival.

At The Glenburn, compared to other hotels in Windermere,  we will go that extra mile to make your stay in the Lake District just Perfect!

* Elegant, relaxed & stylish totally refurbished accommodation
* Excellent food, freshly prepared to order. Full Cumbrian cooked breakfasts plus buffet, and candlelit evening meals
* Special dietary needs and vegetarians catered for
* 16 Double, twin, triple, quad, superior, deluxe and deluxe four-poster rooms
* Deluxe rooms and four-poster rooms have brand new spa baths, rain showers and flat screen TVs
* Satellite TV and free wireless Internet connection
* Complimentary tea and coffee, hair dryers in all rooms
* Fully licensed bar and guest lounge
* A totally smoke and pet free environment
* FREE use of Parklands Country Club and Spa in Bowness for all guests
* Free parking throughout your stay
* Five minutes walk from Windermere and ten minutes to Bowness
* Special touches such as champagne, chocolates, flowers, birthday cakes etc
* Family rooms for three/four/people
* Gift certificates a speciality
* Two deluxe self catering holiday cottages sleeping up to six
* Private family parties and functions catered for, we’ll take care of everything

Just eight miles from Keswick and Cockermouth Scale Hill, once a famous coaching inn and now a family home, offers a dramatic location for a peaceful escape or a family adventure. Watch the red squirrels in the garden, wander through the woods to Crummock Water, conquer local Wainwrights, take a rowing boat out on the lake, explore the Cumbrian coast - enjoy life in a natural area of beauty.

The Buttermere, Loweswater and Lorton Valley lies in the North West corner of English Lakeland, with its western end opening out towards the coastal plain and thus gathering milder weather than most of the Lake District.

The three lakes carpet the Valley floor interspersed with the green fields of the sheep farms and the broad-leaved woods, and all are surrounded by the fells, ranging from Low Fell in the west beside Loweswater Lake and Grasmoor and Mellbreak guarding Crummock Water, to Red Pike and Haystacks over Buttermere, whilst Great Gable watches over all from the South East.

May Cottage is location close to the centre of Bowness-on-Windermere making it the perfect base to explore all the Southern Lakes. Just one road from the edge of Lake Windermere, an easy stroll to the boat rides, quaint shops and a variety of Bistros, Restaurants and Wine & Tapas Bars. The climatic end to the famous Dalesway Walk – Wonderful, never ending, breathtaking scenic walks and drives. Leisure facilities offer relaxing sauna, steam, jacuzzi, swim & gym areas, with snooker, café & bar with Sky T.V. lounge section.

Here is just a small sample of the excellent reviews May Cottage B&B in Bowness-on-Windermere have received on TripAdvisor:

“Great B&B accomodation close to the centre of Bowness”
5 of 5 stars
Date of review: 4 Apr 2011

Most pleasant welcome received from Sue – the accomodation was ideal for our three night stay – with a very comfortable bed room and fine ensuite. The excellent full English breakfast ,accompanied by Sue’s little talk on the locality and its history, set us up for the day’s walking . The B&B is just a few minutes walk to the centre of Bowness and the pubs and restaurants.
For Rugby League fans, a must is a chat with Len Casey , Sue’s husband and breakfast chef, who can relate anecdotes about his playing career for Great Britain ( some as captain) and England and both Hull clubs.

Our first trip to the lakes and first visit to a B&B. We recently married and decided to stay away for a couple of nights.

Sue and Len are great value, warm and welcoming. Place is a gem, you ll be lucky to get availability as the repeat business is a sign of how popular this place is.

Would love to stay again!

“SIMPLY THE BEST”
5 of 5 stars
1 more review of May Cottage by Sallyberisford:

Date of review: 23 Mar 2011

First in Service will design and install air conditioning and ventilation systems, and electrical equipment and installations. Their helpdesk is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call. Their planned, preventative maintenance contracts are available across all disciplines to ensure that your equipment is kept in peak condition. All our Engineers are employed by the company and are CRB checked.

If you are looking to save energy or utility costs within your business First in Service can help you by installing energy/utilities meters, and they can assist in your application for an interest free loan from the Carbon Trust to help you install new equipment that will save energy.

For more information about First in Service, or any of their servicing, installation and maintenance services please visit www.firstinservice.co.uk.

Jamaica is the third largest of the Caribbean Islands. Cuba is the largest with the second place taken by Hispaniola which contains the countries of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Jamaica is the largest English-speaking Island in the Caribbean, measured at one hundred and forty six miles long and fifty one miles wide and occupying an area of 4,400 square miles.

The population of Jamaica is just over two and a half million with high concentrations in the cities and surroundings, especially Kingston, the capital. Most visitors fly into Montego Bay as the North Coast is home to most of the beautiful beaches and other famous visitor attractions, like Dunn’s River Falls.

It is said that Columbus described Jamaica as “a land of hills and valleys” and crumpled a piece of paper to demonstrate its topography. Almost half of Jamaica is over a thousand feet above sea level and about forty square miles are above five thousand feet. 

The mountainous character of Jamaica creates a wide range of micro-climates. The northeast winds blow regularly throughout the year. During the day, the sea breeze blows onshore and at night, the land breeze blows off- shore. During the American winter season, cold fronts may affect Jamaica, producing very strong cold winds, rain, and a change in wind direction from the North.

There is little seasonal change in average daily temperatures in the lower regions of Jamaica where the majority of the population resides. Readings at St. George’s College Station, Kingston:

·         July Average Low at 75.1 degrees Fahrenheit, Average High at 90.7 degrees Fahrenheit

·         January Average Low at 69.1 degree Fahrenheit, Average High at 86.7 degrees Fahrenheit

Temperatures are ten to twenty degrees Fahrenheit cooler in the highlands, but the summits of the Blue Mountains have seen light frosts on winter nights.

Higher than average rainfall occurs during September to October and May to June. The major dry period is from January to March. The average annual rainfall of 77.1 inches is strongly influenced by the terrain. The northeast of the island receives the most rain. Areas of the Western end also receive high rainfall.

Daily winds develop along the coasts with great regularity and have greater climatic influence than seasonal variations. Typically, the sea breeze commences in the morning, reaches its maximum velocity of about 20 knots at midday, and then gradually subsides in the afternoon, when they often produce afternoon showers in the interior.

Visitors will not be disappointed by the variety on this luscious island, from sun-kissed white sand beaches to rivers and waterfalls, to mountains and valleys in the interior. There are lots of different types of accommodation to choose from including hotels, Jamaica Villas, and Jamaica apartments. There is so much to see and do in Jamaica including visiting the Island’s best beaches at Silver Sands where you will find fantastic places to stay including Jamaica Silver Sands Villas and cottages. Silver Sands is located on Jamaica’s famous North Coast, midway between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.

Far Nook has been arranged with our guests comfort in mind with its individual bedrooms and other guest facilities. We will serve you a hearty breakfast in our delightful dining room. You can look forward to a relaxed and comfortable stay in the beautiful Lake District.

Far Nook B&B in Ambleside has private off-road parking available for all our guests and we are only 300 yards away from the nearest bus stop.

Specialising in functional solid wood furniture for the home, colourful and child friendly children’s furniture including toy storage products such as childrens toy chests and toy boxes. Our home furniture product range includes

breadboards, wooden platters, pegboard and footstool products, tables and ottoman products. In addition to our stylish product range Childs and Co also commission and produce one off pieces tailored to your personal needs and taste.

Using predominantly local materials, Childs and Co furniture and products are renowned for their clean lines, durability and sustainability. In traditional or contemporary styles, Child’s and Co furniture and accessories are designed for you and your home.

Choose from the existing product line or call for a bespoke solution, and be comfortable in the knowledge a Childs and Co piece will add a statement to your home.

When visiting Eden Ostrich World over the festive period families will be able to experience Christmas themed areas and activities including a craft table where visitors can make a Christmas mask or perhaps colour in a picture and they can even make a Christmas decoration to be displayed on the Eden Ostrich World tree.

The Christmas themed program of events will take place on the 4th, 5th, 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th, 22nd and 23rd of December and is the perfect way to start the Christmas holidays, both young and old!
Eden Ostrich World is a family run business hosting a working farm and visitors centre, which opened to the public in 1998. Diversification came about due to the dramatic changes within the agricultural industry: as it became more difficult to survive whilst farming new ideas started to emerge and after several years planning we created and opened our doors to the public as Eden Ostrich World.
Situated in the middle of the Eden Valley, we couldn’t ask for a more magnificent setting, with the River Eden running straight through our site, it allows customers to take in the views and have a wander down by the river! It is classed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the different varieties of birds and wildlife.

Their aim is to offer bags of fun and Lake District things to do as well as an educational day, not only learning about the ostrich, from incubation and hatching through to being fully grown, but to give people an insight into modern day farming. They also host playgrounds, a tea room and a very reasonable gift shop, as well as the Hayloft Gallery which is packed full of unusual gifts – a Cumbria attraction for the whole family.

For more information on the festive events and for further information on this Lake District attraction, visit http://www.ostrich-world.com.

With such vast, varied and breathtaking scenery as in the Lake District, it is far too difficult a task choosing one destination for a holiday or short break. Great driving roads+breathtaking scenery=the perfect recipe for camper vans.

Camper vans give you:

The opportunity to visit and experience numerous locations in one trip.
Give you the freedom to stop off when and where you like and for what duration.
No need to worry about there not being a hotel or guest house available in the area.
You are protected from the elements unlike camping.

You’ll never tire of driving on the roads in the Lake District and Cumbria which has some of the most scenic roads in England. In particular, Hartside Pass which The AA and Top Gear list in their top 10 driving roads in England. Other great driving roads include the Kirkstone Pass, the A591 which passes through Ambleside, Grasmere and onto Keswick and not for the faint hearted Hardnott and Wrynose passes.

VW camper vans are particularly suited to the roads in the Lake District. They are compact and allow you to drive on the stunning, narrow roads which other, larger camper van and mobile homes would not be able to.

Camper vans have seen a renaissance in recent years both in terms of new camper vans and mobile homes but especially the popularity of the classic VW camper van. Their iconic status continues to grow and excite young and old. Driving around in the VW camper van is guaranteed to turn heads and makes a holiday even more special.

A mobile holiday is the ultimate in economical holidaying. The cost of parking up on a camping or caravanning site is nominal and sometimes areas can be found that are free. You can self cater as much of the meals as you wish although the Lake District has some fantastic eating houses that really should be visited.

Many people simply can’t justify purchasing a VW camper van for themselves due to lack of annual leave and other commitments. A camper van has to be used regularly both for economy and for the wellbeing of the van. The perfect solution is in the form of hiring. VW camper van rental can is now available in the Lake District and enables those who want to experience a camper van holiday but that do not want to purchase one. Volkswagen camper van hire is also great for those thinking of purchasing a van to gain knowledge of driving one. Camper van hire in the UK, sorted.

When it comes to either Lake District Bed and Breakfast accommodation the Cuckoo Brow should be your first choice.

The historic city of Norwich is Norfolk’s county town and visitors will find so much on offer in the vibrant regional capital. In particular shopping in Norwich is a delight. It is listed in the top five shopping destinations in Britain and visitors can be sure of finding just what they are after. There is a mix of high street brands, two shopping centres, four large department stores and a large number of independent shops, in addition to a permanent six-day market.

Some of the smaller towns in Norfolk, such as Holt, Diss, Swaffham, Burnham Market and Dalegate Market offer a more sedate shopping experience. Here you will find independent retailers and local suppliers and don’t forget the Norfolk farmers’ markets, the craft outlets, the art galleries, the local delis and those little gift shops with the perfect souvenir for you to take back home.

For anyone planning to visit Norfolk during the festive period, Thursford is an absolute must. This is the home of the most popular and spectacular Christmas show in Britain today. As if the dazzling Christmas Spectacular isn’t enough, you and your family can also become part of the ultimate Santa’s Magical Journey into Christmas, where children can visit Father Christmas in his very special house. However, Thursford is not only magnificent at Christmas. You can visit the amazing sights and sounds of the beautiful Thursford Collection, the world largest collection of steam engines and organs throughout the year.

North Norfolk is a holiday destination set apart in its location and it s character, a perfect destination for holidays and weekend breaks. Here you will find a wealth of superb places to stay including North Norfolk B&B accommodation, hotels, self catering cottages and caravan and camping parks.

The Norfolk Broads is one of the most popular inland waterways in Europe and provides the perfect setting for a holiday, short break or a day trip. The Norfolk Broads is also Britain’s largest protected wetland with status equivalent to a National Park. The beautiful, wild expanse of 125 miles of lock-free navigable rivers, shallow lakes, woodland, fens and grazing marshes, is home to some of the rarest plants and wildlife in the UK to the Swallowtail butterfly to the reclusive bittern.

There truly is no shortage of things to see and do in Norfolk from visitor centres, sightseeing tours, theatre productions, animal attractions and a wide range of outdoor activities including cycling and watersports.

Whilst fell walking is probably the most popular reason for visitors to Lakeland, there are other activities based around Keswick that are available for those who enjoy the Great Outdoors. Golf, Canoeing, Cricket, Bowls, Mini Golf and sailing are all provided nearby. There are Golf Courses at Keswick (at Threkeld, with great views of the surrounding hills on a course with only one bunker), at Cockermouth, Maryport, Workington and at St Bees, the westernmost point of the famous Coast to Coast walk. There are also courses at Kendal and Windermere, Penrith and Appleby, as well as many along the coast. Outdoor bowling, tennis and putting are found at Fitz Park, whilst Hope Park caters for miniature golf enthusiasts. Derwentwater provides facilities for sailing, canoeing and rowing.

Fell walking
Fell walking close to Keswick on Skiddaw or Blencathera provides the more adventurous with a challenge, whereas the Borrowdale and Newlands Valleys provide for more leisurely and reflective walking. A walk through wooded upland brings you to a small hill called Castlehead. From the top the views are exceptional, revealing the entire three-mile length of Derwentwater and a vista of Borrowdale that allows you to look into its distant jaws. Apart from devising your own walks, the Tourist Information Office have leaflets and information showing walks which afford good exercise and splendid views. When walking on the hills, planning and great care must be employed. Whilst objects of great beauty, the weather can make the hills dangerous places. A leaflet is available throughout the National Park, entitled ‘Enjoy the Hills in Safety’. Telephone 08700 550575 to use the National Park Authority’s 24-hour ‘Weather Service’.

Keswick is geared up for activities and makes an excellent destination for families. Keswick hotels can be found with family friendly rooms and with excellent leisure facilities on site. These facilities include heated swimming pools, gyms, tennis courts, putting greens and some even have games rooms with both board games and computer games such as Wii consoles installed. As there is no way of guaranteeing dry weather in the Lakes, on site facilities in Keswick hotels to keep children (and adults!) entertained is a real bonus.

The house was built in 1897 and has since been tastefully converted into a 4 star Guest House. Braemount has also achieved a Silver Award as a reflection of their high standard of service.

At Braemount House you will find everything you need for that truly romantic break including 4 poster beds, a luxury private suite and free use of a local leisure club with swimming pool, sauna and steam room.

Guests can start the day with a traditional full english breakfast or perhaps try Braemount’s scrumptious scrambled egg and smoked salmon speciality, and for those wanting something lighter or for vegetarians they have plenty of alternatives to offer. On warm summer days guests can even enjoy breakfast out on the terrace.

Braemount House offers a sunny, mature garden for guests to relax in and Lake Windermere is just a short stroll away.

Windermere and Bowness both have plenty to offer including an excellent array of shops, restaurants, visitor attractions that include The World of Beatrix Potter and a even cinema.

The magnificent Yorkshire Dales National Park offering dramatic scenery and spectacular walks – literally from many Yorkshire Dales hotels doorsteps.

For any walking abilities there are footpaths, peaks and trails to suit anyone including the famous Three Peaks of Whernside, Pen-Y-Ghent and Ingleborough.

Also in the immediate locality is some of the most dramatic limestone scenery in Europe, including the Ingleborough Cave, with its dazzling stalactites and stalagmites. Gaping Gill, the most dramatic of North Yorkshire’s pot holes, where water hurtles down in a single jet over 365ft to the floor. Another nearby natural feature is Malham Cove. Once a waterfall and now an impressive cliff topped by an extensive area of limestone pavement.

A short drive away is the picturesque market town of Kirkby Lonsdale with walks along the Lune Valley to the famous Ruskin’s View, with magnificent views of the hills beyond, and just a short walk from the town centre is the dramatic Devil’s Bridge.

The renowned Settle to Carlisle Railway – passing through some of the most spectacular Dales & Lakeland landscapes including the Ribblehead Viaduct – is a popular day out with Settle being just 5 miles away.

Other activities and attractions very much worth a visit are:-
Yorkshire Dales National Park
Falconry Centre
Gaping Gill
Ingleborough Cave
Settle to Carlisle Railway
Ingleton’s Waterfalls
Malham Cove
White Scar Caves
Skipton Castle
Yorkshire Castles

Enjoying a few days or even weeks in the Dales is probably one of the best ways of relaxing and appreciating the beautiful surroundings of this magnificent countryside. It is so varied and has so many different facets.

In order for you to fully enjoy your stay in the Yorkshire Dales, some Yorkshire Dales hotels have teamed up with the Yorkshire Dales Guides and can now offer a full itinerary of sporting and outdoor pursuits including fishing, shooting, pony trekking, quad biking and golf.

Caving, climbing & abseiling, kayaking, open canoeing and improvised rafting
From introductory to more advanced and challenging events.
Navigation courses
Leading to certification through the National Navigation Award Scheme.
Guided walks
Full days, half days or evenings with knowledgeable local enthusiasts.
Mountain biking
Full days, half days or evenings with knowledgeable local enthusiasts.

Other activities available:
• Dales Falconry Centre
• Hot Air Ballooning
• Shooting
• Fishing
• Painting Breaks
• Horse riding
• Cycling/Cycle Hire

The reunion attracted past employees from all over the world including Peter Dixon and his wife who travelled especially from Australia for the occasion and stayed on to see friends in the Lake District. Also present was Kurt Hartmann and his wife who travelled from Germany. Kurt was Head Chef at the Lodore Falls Hotel for 27 years and it was he who taught current Head Chef Mike Ward.

The reunion began with afternoon tea at Lake District Hotels ltd Lodore Falls Hotel, followed by an evening trip into Keswick for drinks and a friendly pub catch up.

On Sunday everyone gathered again at the Lodore Falls for Sunday lunch and a group picture before departing home or on holiday.

Organised by Head Chef Mike Ward, Sales Manager Tanya Sentance, and past employee Vikki Brier, they all agreed the effort of finding everyone was worth it. Finding staff was made easier by using social media sites like Facebook and friends reunited. Mike said “Social media has made an impact on being able to keep in close touch with friends across the world. It made finding everyone and keeping them informed so much easier. It was a monumental occasion and great to meet people who worked here years ago.

Mike really enjoyed catching up with his Head Chef mentor and it was especially important that lunch was perfect. Having over 60 people at the event shows how much people fondly remember their time working here at one of the most famous Keswick hotels. It was also nice for our current team to catch up with old friends.”

The region is divided into sections known as The Dark Peak, The White Peak, The Staffordshire Moorlands and the Derbyshire Dales. The highest point in the Peak District is Crowden Head on Kinder Scout at a height of 2070 feet above sea level. Kinder Scout is located in The Dark Peak area and can be accessed from Edale which is also the start of the Pennine Way. Most of the region is over 1000 metres above sea level but unlike the craggy Lake District and Snowdonia hills, the Peak District hills are more undulating being soft and rounded.

The appeal of a self catering holiday is growing. A self catering holiday can give a greater freedom and more space for families and allow multiple couples or friends to go away together, splitting costs and creating a good value holiday. Cottages in the Peak District can be found in many villages as well as off the beaten track should a totally “get away from it all” holiday be required. Derbyshire cottages can be found in an abundance of styles from unique character properties to spacious, luxury holiday cottages fitted with all the latest gadgets and conveniences.

Walking is the main activity here, both in the Dark Peak and in the hills to the north. The Pennine Way starting from Edale, winds its way up the Pennine chain. The White Peak covers the limestone dales towards the market town of Bakewell. In addition to walking, climbing ‘nursery slopes’ surround the Hope Valley can also be experienced. All the equipment and tuition required can be found Cycle Hire, Horse riding & Treking can be arranged locally, as can Day Fishing in Ladybower Reservoir (seasonal).

When staying in a Peak District cottage, there is never a shortage of activities. Of course going for a walk up one of the many peaks and experiencing the views is a must but there are hundreds of other attractions. Chatsworth, home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, set in 1,000 acres of parkland: a magnificent house and gardens, model farmyard, adventure playground, shops & restaurant. Haddon Hall, a romantic fortified medieval manor, home of the Rutland family, with delightful terraced gardens and restaurant. Eyam Hall preserves the domestic scene of the 17th century, where the Wright family have come and gone for 300 years. Hardwick Hall was created by one of the great characters of the Elizabethan era, Bess of Hardwick. The original tapestries & needlework are displayed. The National Trust now administer Hardwick Hall and many others in this area Calke Abbey, Kedlestone, Sudbury, Gawsworth and the moorland estates of Longshaw & The High Peak.

South Lakes Cottages offer a choice of two self catering cottages, which are both a relic of the bygone era of iron ore mining in South Lakeland, locally referred to as the “Treacle Mines”. Built of the same local sandstone as many imposing buildings in the area, these Barrow self catering cottages have been tastefully converted, whilst retaining many of the original features.

The properties are situated on the owners small, working farm – conveniently located “off the tourist trail” in a pleasant hamlet between Morecambe Bay and the Duddon Estuary near to Ulverston. It is the ideal location for those seeking a peaceful retreat, with many places of interest including wildlife and nature reserves, yet still within easy reach of the traditional Lake District.

A welcome tray with homemade cakes is provided on arrival.

The other main attraction for visitors to Cartmel is the racecourse. With the first recorded race said to have taken place on the mid 1800’s, Cartmel races continues to grow in stature and popularity year on year. The creation of a new grandstand, with the back drop of the beautiful southern Lake District coupled with catering to rival any top race event has really put Cartmel on the map.

Cartmel is very much becoming a gastronomic destination. Cartmel and its surrounding villages have some of the best examples of Lake District gastronomy in the whole of Cumbria and the Lake District. Even though many of the restaurants and public houses are located within historic buildings, the food served is right in the 21st century using the finest locally sourced produce that is found in an abundance in the south Lakeland area.

Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding is one of the most famous exports from Cartmel. The pudding is now sold all over the United Kingdom and even world with high class restaurants in London serving this still handmade in Cartmel pudding.

With its top quality food, beautiful historical buildings, race course and spectacular scenery, it’s not hard to believe that Cartmel attracts a cosmopolitan visitor. Luckily, Cartmel offers some stunning luxury Lake District self catering properties including Ford House in Cartmel which sleeps up to 10 people. When attending the races, what better place to stay in than a beautiful Grade II listed manor house or a beautiful double-fronted period property in Cartmel.

Nearby attractions also include Holker Hall (a stately home with lovely gardens and grounds and a cafe, Cark-in-Cartmel), the Lakeland Motor Museum (In addition to vintage and classic motors, the museum now features of faithfully recreated period shop fronts and also has a themed gift shop. It is now located at its new site in Backbarrow, on the main A590) and Brantwood (an historic house & gardens which used to be the home of John Ruskin with a shop, café and terrace on the east side of Coniston Water).

Windermere is a great base for exploring the Lake District thanks to its excellent transport links. Windermere Railway station offers rail connections to Kendal and Oxenholme and it also has direct trains to and from Manchester Airport. Buses also run regularly from Windermere station including southbound journeys to Kendal and northbound journeys to Ambleside, Grasmere, and Keswick.

There is plenty for the whole family to do in and around Windermere including looking round some of the superb shops and visitor attractions such as The World of Beatrix Potter where all 23 Peter Rabbit tales are brought to life in 3D. Other local places of interest include …

Blackwell Arts & Crafts:
House in Bowness which is a superb example of the Arts & Crafts movement;

Hilltop - Near Sawrey:
Take the ferry and visit the writer’s 17th century cottage at the other side of Lake Windermere and see it exactly as she left it complete with her furniture and china.

Lakes Aquarium:
The Lakes Aquarium is located on the Southern shore of Windermere and can be accessed by taking a lake steamer from Bowness to Lakeside at Newby Bridge. Here visitors have the chance to see many exotic and local fish.

William Wordsworth’s Dove Cottage:
Here visitors can visit the home of England’s famous romantic poet at Grasmere. The adjacent Wordsworth Museum displays national treasures of the poet. There is an onsite tea room and gift shop.

The Lake District National Park Visitor Centre:
At Brockhole, situated on the shores of Lake Windermere, ideal family entertainment with interactive exhibitions and adventure playground. Whatever the weather.

For more active visitors there are plenty of walking routes available around Windermere including walks to spectacular viewpoints at Orrest Head and Biskey Howe where you will find breathtaking views of Lake Windermere and as far out as Morecambe Bay on a clear day. Windermere Golf Club is a very picturesque course and here you can relax after your round in the golf club restaurant with great views of surrounding mountains.

To take full advantage of Windermere visitors should look to stay in a luxury Bowness Bed and Breakfast where you will find the highest quality Lake District Bed and Breakfast accommodation.

When it comes to Historic Houses and Gardens visitors will find a wealth of properties available within a short distance of Ambleside. These include …

Brockhole Visitor Centre:
Located near Windermere with beautiful grounds, lakeshore access, children’s adventure playground, café gift shop full disability access and plenty of parking. Various events throughout the year.

Rydal Mount:
William Wordsworth’s home for 37 years until his death in 1850. He moved here in 1813 with his wife, 3 children (two had died the previous year), sister Dorothy and sister-in-law Sara Hutchinson and adapted the home to suit his lifestyle - adding another storey to accommodate his library. Some of his personal effects are on view including letters relating to his appointment as Poet Laureate. Outside, the four-acre fellside garden, landscaped by Wordsworth, was designed to blend in with the surrounding land and is virtually unchanged today.

Armitt Museum & Library:
Combined museum, library and art gallery that explores the history of Ambleside and its surroundings from Roman times to the present day, with emphasis on literary and artistic connections. There are Roman and later artefacts, exquisite watercolours of fungi by Beatrix Potter, historic photographs of old Ambleside, paintings and collages by Kurt Schwitters (influential pioneer of Merz assemblage art), and an archive of over 10,000 local resource books. Regularly changing exhibitions of artwork. Hands-on activities include interactive computer screens, a children’s ‘archaeological dig’ and block printing.

Townend, Troutbeck:
This yeoman’s farmhouse, a fine example of Lake District vernacular architecture was the home of many generations of the Browne family from the early 17th Century until 1943. As the same family lived here for so many years, the house is very well preserved. Inside the oak pannelling and most of the ornately carved furniture and equipment were originally owned by the family. 

Bridge House:
This much photographed tiny house on a bridge over Stock Beck was built as an apple store in 1723. It is one of the few buildings in Cumbria to have retained its original wrestler slates on the roof ridge. In 1926, local subscribers bought Bridge House and handed it to the National Trust, who own the property today.

Galava Roman Fort:
The Romans built a fort here in AD 120, on a raised platform to avoid flooding from the rivers Rothay and Brathay. Before being abandoned by the Romans shortly before AD400. On site there are interpretation panels provide information on how the fort would have looked and operated.

Brantwood Coniston:
The former home of John Ruskin, explore Brentwood’s estate and gardens or experience contempory art at the Sevren Studio. To take full advantage of Ambleside visitors should look to stay in one of the area’s fine hotels, B&Bs, self catering holiday homes, or perhaps a luxury Ambleside Guest House. A guide to holiday accommodation in the area is available on www.staylakedistrict.co.uk.

The history of Broughton dates back many centuries with the oldest building thought to be the church of St Mary Magdelene, first built as part of an eleventh century Saxon settlement. The church today is the result of a major restoration taken place in 1873 by the firm of Paley and Austin.

Over time, Broughton became an important market town, a centre of the wool trade and the manufacture of the oak baskets known as swills. Among the little back streets you would have found blacksmiths, millers, tanners, dressmakers and cobblers carrying out their crafts in readiness for the weekly markets.

During the reign of Elizabeth I the town was granted a charter giving permission to hold fairs. To this day, each year on the 1st August, there is the ceremonial ‘Reading of the Charter’, where pennies are thrown to the children.

Today many of the houses and buildings are Georgian, centred on the elegant town square, built by the Lord of the Manor to resemble a London Square. The Market Hall, a fine structure, was built in 1766, originally housing small lock up shops and is now the home of the Tourist Information Centre, exhibiting locally produced glassware, ceramics and paintings. In the centre of the square is a fine obelisk, erected to celebrate the silver jubilee of King George III in 1810, and stands next to both the ancient fish slabs, used to sell fish caught in the River Duddon and Estuary, and the village stocks for those who broke the laws or behaved in an unseemly manner.

For day to day needs Broughton is perfectly self contained with some good shops, inns and restaurants. On Prince’s Street there is Melville Tysons Grocer and Butcher. The shelves groan with preserves, chutneys, wine and pastas; the deli counter has a fabulous selection of cheeses, hams, salami, olives and pastries and the butcher sells the finest cuts, many from locally produced fell bred stock. Next door is the Village Bakery and Cafe. Using only the finest produce to bake their wonderful fresh breads, pastries and cakes the aroma as you pass is enough to draw anybody inside. Finally on Prince’s Street, is the Post Office selling local maps, books, ice cream and general goods.

To take full advantage of Broughton in Furness visitors should look to stay in one the area’s fine Lake District cottages and self catering holiday homes.

Otterburn is a small, idyllic village around 30 miles north of Newcastle in the Northumberland National Park and within the Cheviot Hills. In fact, it is located just 16 miles from the Scottish borders which makes it a fantastic place to stop off when visiting Scotland with Edinburgh only 75 miles away. For walkers staying in Otterburn, the Cheviots are a must to visit with nearly 40 peaks over 500 metres in height.

The major sites to see around the area are Hadrian’s Wall and Alnwick Castle of recent ‘Harry Potter’ fame, although there are a host of other attractions like  Beamish, Bamburgh Castle, Cragside House, Wallington House, St Aidan’s Winery, Barter Books, Northumbria Craft Centre, Otterburn Mill, Kielder Forest and the Northumberland National Park to name just a few in the area.  If you fancy a day in the city Newcastle is under an hour’s drive away with its famous Metro Centre and its many, many, many shops providing excellent retail therapy!

The charm of Northumberland is its rolling countryside, diverse wildlife and heritage which come in abundance. Driving on roads such as the A696 is a pleasure running from Otterburn right down to Newcastle through some lovely villages. You will also drive past some of the most stunning castles in the whole of England. Having been part of the Roman Empire, Northumberland has more castles than any other county in England. Bamburgh being the most famous and imposing of all the castles sitting on the Bamburgh coast. It is also the largest inhabited castle in England. Alnwick Castle is a mere 27 miles from Otterburn. Alnwick Castle celebrated its seven hundred years anniversary last year so it’s a great time to embrace the history, art and breathtaking scenery. You can take a stroll down the Alnwick Gardens or simply explore. A great venue to take the whole family.

Northumberland has one of the lowest population densities in the United Kingdom and it really does make for a complete getaway when visiting this area. There is space, room, endless unspoilt countryside but at the same time, some of the friendliest and accommodating people you’ll meet on your weekend away or holiday.

There are only a handful of Northumberland hotels in the Northumberland National Park which again accentuates the feeling of space and complete lack of overcrowding. You feel as if you are a world away from the pressures of modern life and yet Newcastle and its airport are under an hour away and Morpeth, Hexham and Jedburgh even closer.

When staying in a Northumbria hotel, you will be spoilt for choice of local produce. Northumberland is a paradise for game due to its landscape but the Cheviot lamb absolutely has to be sampled as well as the seafood which is often described as some of the best outside of Scotland.

The location allows a for very quiet night’s sleep, so if its relaxation you are after, then Oldfield House is place for you.

All rooms are appointed with many creature comforts with high quality linen, luxury Egyptian cotton towels, LCD Tv’s, beverage tray and bathroom ammenties. And for those worried about car parking, they have ample spaces available for guests.

For more details please visit www.oldfieldhouse.co.uk

The garden is a picture at all times of the year and with the dramatic backdrop of the Easedale Fells and the famed ‘Lion and the Lamb’ it is without doubt a special and memorable view.

An abundance of fresh flowers, picture lined walls, a real fire on cold days, fine Wedgwood Countryware china and stylish sympathetic décor are just some of the ingredients of this delightful Guest House.

Proprietors, Karen and John, are true ‘Lake Lovers’ and their desire for guests to enjoy their stay at Raise View House is obvious.

The House is furnished to the highest standards and Karen’s flair for interior design is apparent. Farrow & Ball, The Little Greene Paint Company, Designers Guild, Laura Ashley, Jane Churchill, Nina

Campbell, The White Company & Colefax & Fowler are just some of the designer companies used in Raise View House to create this feeling of luxury but in relaxed surroundings.

You are encouraged to relax in the exquisitely furnished guest lounge where English Heritage colours and Designers Guild fabrics from the Royal Collection blend together to give a rich warm glow and possibly

enjoy your favourite ‘tipple’ from our well stocked honesty bar.

For our cat loving guests Oscar and Tilly will be delighted to welcome you to Raise View.

Many Carlisle hotels and b&b’s are conveniently located not just for exploring historic Carlisle but also the beautiful English Lake District, Eden Valley, the Scottish Borders and Hadrian’s Wall. Whether you are visiting friends or family, business or pleasure Carlisle has something to offer everyone.

Along the City of Carlisle’s northern extent is the Solway Firth, which forms the western section of the Anglo-Scottish border, and thus divides the city from Dumfries and Galloway, one of the council areas of Scotland. To the east is the English county of Northumberland; to the south is the district of Eden and to the west and south-west the borough of Allerdale, both in the county of Cumbria.

There are plenty of things to do when staying in Carlisle hotels and bed and breakfasts. Information for a selection  can be found below:

Arts, Music, Theatre
High Head Sculpture Valley - Magnificent life-size sculptures imaginatively displayed in a natural woodland valley
The Sands Centre - Cumbria’s premier sports and live arts venue
Stanwix Theatre    Situated on the main campus of Cumbria Institute of the Arts, this 216 seat theatre was completely refurbished in 2000.
Tullie House Museum - Discover Carlisle’s Millennium Gallery with its spectacular mix of traditional and cutting edge works.

Attractions
Gretna green Story and Blacksmith’s Shop - World Famous – become part of Gretna’s romantic history
Linton Tweeds - History of weaving and see the 100 year old looms in use

Cycle Routes
Carlisle and Eden Valley Circular Cycle Route - 112 mile route with shorter loops taking in the beautiful Eden Valley. More information and a Route Guide (£1.50) can be obtained from Carlisle Tourist Information Centre.
The Reivers Cyle Route - This 175 mile route from Tynemourth to Whitehaven, passes through Carlisle before travelling north to the Scottish Borders.
The Hadrians Cycle Way - This is a new 174 mile long distance cycle route from Ravensglass to Southshields. Most of the route is now open with the remaining sections open from 2007.

Forts and Museums
Birdoswald Roman Fort and Visitor Centre - Extremely picturesque setting along the wall, overlooking river Irthing gorge
Guildhall Museum - The Guildhall Museum situated in the heart of the city of Carlisle, has been the home to Carlisle’s historic Trade Guilds for over 500 years
Tullie House Museum - Discover Carlisle’s Millennium Gallery with its spectacular mix of traditional and cutting edge works.

Golf
Aglionby Golf Club, Carlisle    Tel: 01228 513029
Brampton Golf Club        Tel: 01697 72255
Eden Golf Course        Tel: 01228 573003
Stoney Holme Golf Club        Tel: 01228 625511
Silloth Golf Club        Tel: 016973 31304

Historic Sites
Border & Kings Regiment Museum    Two floors of displays tell the story of Cumbria’s County Infantry Regiment from 1702 to date, with uniforms, weapons, silver, paintings and medals.
Carlisle Castle    Formidable medieval fortress reveals the past of this historic city
Carlisle Cathedral - Founded in 1122, Carlisle Cathedral is an impressive building, dominating the skyline from across the city.
Lanercost Priory - Founded in 1166, sited in peaceful valley of the River Irthing
Ravenglass Roman Bath House - Remains of a bath house established in AD130 are among the most complete in Britain.

Natural History
The Cumberland Bird Of Prey Centre - Provides courses and activities as well as displays and corporate events.
Kingmoor Nature Reserve (north and South) - Explore historic woodland and a variety of natural history in these two nature reserves
Talkin Tarn Country Park - 65 acre lake amid 120 acres of farmland and woodland, making it the ideal place for active recreation or a quite stroll.

Shops and Markets
Carlisle Cathedral Shop    A range of gifts and cathedral souvenirs
Cranstons - Traditional butchers with a large range of products made by this family firm.
Cumbrian Cottage Farm Shop - Home-made ice-creams are sold in their farm shop alongside cheeses, fresh vegetables, cakes, jams and pickles
Harrison and Hetherington Farmers Market - Borderway Mart, Carlisle. Second Friday of the month
The Lanes Shopping Centre, Carlisle - Great shopping with some of the best high street names
The Victorian Market Hall, Carlisle - One of the few covered Victorian Markets remaining in the Country, selling everything from fresh meat and vegetables, haberdashery, clothes, florists, stationery and much more.

Sport
Carlisle Racecourse - Carlisle Racecourse is situated at Blackwell on the outskirts of Carlisle and is set in beautiful open countryside
The Sands Centre - Cumbria’s premier sports and live arts venue
Sheepmount stadium - The Sheepmount Stadium is home to Carlisle’s six lane, synthetic, athletics facility as well as numerous cricket, hockey, football and rugby pitches.

Walking
Hadrians Wall Path National Trail - Walking the 84 mile (135km), provides a continuous long distance path from Wallsend on the River Tyne to Bowness-on-Solway in Cumbria and passes through picturesque scenery on both sides of the Border. Many Carlisle hotels are only a short distance from the line of the National Trail, perfect for a short stay en-route for the final leg of your journey
Cumbrian Way - The Cumbrian Way is a 68 mile walk providing an excellent introduction to the English Lake District, England’s most mountainous area.

When it comes to places to stay, visitors will find Carlisle offers a wide range of quality accommodation, from friendly budget priced Carlisle bed and breakfast right the way through to luxury Carlisle hotels. Whether you want a peaceful country retreat or a convenient city centre stop over you are sure to find the ideal place to stay.

Combining a spa treatment with a holiday or weekend away is becoming more and more popular and thankfully now, you do not have to go abroad and spend a fortune in order to do so. With the stresses of work and family life, the ability for total relaxation and making the most out of a much deserved weekend break is a must and places such as hotels Surrey have seen high quality spas hotels opening recently.

Spa’s located within hotels are the most convenient and give the most relaxation as the guest can simply come down from their room and within a matter of seconds be in having a spa treatment, no need to get in a car or walk for miles.

Spa treatments can be anything from a variety of massages to facials, tanning, waxing, manicures, pedicures, anti-ageing, eye treatments, facials and bridal treatments. With the popularity of having a civil ceremony in a hotel, a Surrey spa hotel offers ultimate pampering for the bride and her friends and family.

No destination hotel would be complete without a destination spa. A life spa environment within a hotel can reflect the perfect balance between cutting edge design and classical therapies, such as wet and dry treatment rooms, his & her steam rooms and saunas, outdoor hot tubs, a meditation room with gentle warming water beds and super-chic relaxation areas.

Even the treatments within spas are becoming more luxurious and being tailored to a guest’s specific needs and requirements. A number of highly quality hotels and spas now have exclusive signature treatment menus.

Some of the beauty industry’s most enchanting brands are now creating ranges and therapies for spas. Some of which can only be found of the cream of the world’s beauty salons, for example:

Facials by Lubatti - created by the celebrated and legendary facialist Tracey Malone, sister of Jo Malone and daughter of 1970s’ London society skincare expert Eileen Malone.

Massages and body treatments created by Jane Scrivner - a contemporary treatment designer with more than 20 years experience, and the originator of hot and cold stone massages in this country.

Manicures and pedicures by Butter LONDON - the new face of the nail industry. With a colour range covering catwalk inspired shades, the sexy, the classic and everything in between, manicures and pedicures have never been so on-trend.

A spa really does cater for every pampering and rejuvenation requirement. For the more active spa guest, personal trainers in state of the art gyms can be arranged for those who require detailed instruction and motivation. Equally a spa can be for complete relaxation in the form of beauty treatments, also mind and body treatments such as hot stone treatments and meditation. Men are also now seeing the benefits of visiting a spa hotel Surrey with specialized male spa treatments and remedial procedures perfect for sportsmen for example.

Coniston Water
Coniston is the third largest of the lakes and is approximately 5 miles long and ½ a mile wide. The lake is hugely popular with tourist due to its large expanse of water, which contains a number of tranquil islands, as well as the stunning scenery. The lake was famously the setting for the book Swallows and Amazons as well as the setting for Donald Campbell’s ill fated attempt to break the water speed record.

Derwentwater
Derwentwater is approximately 3 miles long and 1 mile wide making it the widest lake in the Lake District. The lake has a number of islands within, one of which contains Derwent Island House which is open to the public just 5 days a year. The huge Skiddaw overlooking the lake and the nearby market town of Keswick make Derwent one of the most popular lakes for visitors.

Ullswater
Ullswater is the second largest of all the lakes in the Lake District at approximately 9 miles long and ¾ of a mile wide. Regarded by many as the most beautiful of all the lakes, Ullswater often finds itself compared to lakes in Switzerland, such as Lucerne. This favourable comparison is thanks to the beautiful scenery with mountains to one side and green fields and woodland on the other. The lake is great for water sports, with canoeing, sailing and wind surfing particularly popular. There are also the more relaxing steamer boats that take you on a cruise of the lake.

Windermere
Windermere is the largest lake in the Lake District and is the largest in the whole of England at approximately 10.5 miles long and 1 mile wide. As well as being the largest of the lakes Windermere is also the most well known and has long been a very popular attraction for tourists. Many of the tourists who do visit end up taking part in at least one of the many on water activities available. These range from wake boarding, sailing and canoeing to a more sedate pleasure cruise.

About the Author
This article was written on behalf of Borrowdale Gates, one of the best hotels in Keswick.

Getting away for August Bank Holiday in the UK is a great idea especially in 2010. The Sterling to Euro exchange rate is still fairly poor and with holidays and prices abroad rising, staying in the UK has been a popular choice this summer. A long weekend is an excellent choice if money is tight and a holiday for a whole week is unaffordable. Another reason could be or if the time off work cannot be had.

Cumbria - The Lake District is a great place to visit for a Bank Holiday weekend as it is easily accessible, has a wide range of locations, activities and places to stay and visit and offers something different from a city break or holiday abroad. Keeping children entertained is easy in the Lake District with such a broad range of Lake District places to visit and activities. Listed below are a selection from across the region.

A World in Miniature, Houghton Hall, Carlisle
This truly amazing museum contains of one the world’s top three collections of quality miniatures, from remarkable 1/12 scale copies of antique furniture, paintings and china in beautiful room settings, to everyday items at sizes you just won’t believe! Made with breathtaking skill and craftsmanship and displayed with care and attention to detail, our museum is sure to thrill and delight collectors and the curious alike. We even have the world’s smallest teddy bear!

Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria
The Gallery is housed in one of Kendal’s most important buildings, a Grade I listed villa, on the banks of the river Kent. The galleries offer two floors of light-filled spaces in which to see art. The intimate rooms and tranquil setting are used to show British painting and sculpture, without pretention or overload, to uplift the spirits in an enjoyable and relaxed atmosphere. As well as a fine permanent collection, Abbot Hall is widely acknowledged as having one of the most imaginative and independently minded exhibition programmes outside London.

Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts House, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria
Blackwell is one of Britain’s finest houses from the turn of the last century. Designed by M H Baillie Scott, Blackwell was built between 1898 and 1900 as a holiday retreat for Sir Edward Holt, a wealthy Manchester brewery owner. The house survives in a truly remarkable state of preservation retaining almost all of its original decorative features, including the rare and fragile hessian wall-hangings in the Dining Room.

Coniston Launch 2010, Coniston, Cumbria the Lake District
Lake cruises and group charters on Coniston Water in the Lake District. Coniston Launch offers a variety of ways that you can enjoy a beautiful boat cruise and day out on Coniston Water in the Lake District. Regular services covering three different circular routes on Coniston Water. Stay on the boat for the full cruise or stop off at any of the jetties to catch a later boat back. Combine a boat cruise with a walk around the shore of Coniston Water

Lake District Coast Aquarium, Maryport, Cumbria
Native marine and freshwater fish in more than 50 carefully recreated habitats make up a sequence of informative displays that will captivate you. Careful contact with Rays and Starfish… silvery Bass dodging the crashing wave. Plaice hiding in the sand, Cuttlefish changing colour as they watch you pass… baby Seahorses so unbelievably small. Entertaining talks and feeding demonstrations from the staff and the Quayside Cafe is also open to the general public. Discover an array of gifts and souvenirs suitable for all ages in the Gift Shop.

Windermere is a popular destination for people of all ages, all tastes and all interests. Of course, Windermere is very famous as a base for walking the Lakeland fells and for doing many other outdoor activities but more and more visitors are coming to Windermere for a bit of luxury.

To add to the already long list of Windermere’s attributes and lures comes luxury. Windermere has some of the most stunning buildings with many of the larger residences being luxury Lake District hotels. In recent years, some of the luxury hotels have taken their attention to detail to another level. They have refurbished, redesigned, added on, decorated and paid even more attention to detail than before. Windermere now has some of the best hotels in the country and more than rival some of the famous hotels in south.

Dining has become a more prevalent factor in many hotels these days. Hotel restaurants often used to be of a pretty poor standard even when the hotel itself was of a high standard. Michelin starred restaurants are now common practice in hotels with big name chefs taking control at these luxury complexes.

Windermere couldn’t be in a better location for a restaurant to obtain top quality produce. Cumbria the Lake District has some of the finest local produce in the country from lamb and sausage to cheese, bread and cream. It really isn’t hard to understand why the Lake District is also now home to some of the finest restaurants in the north of England. Being relatively close to the coats means even the freshest seafood can be found.

Attention to detail is key for a luxury hotel from the service to rooms and outside areas. One hotel in Windermere which has seen recent refurbishment has produced a collection of rooms without compromise, most with patio doors leading onto the gardens and with either spa baths or hot tubs. They have also created luxury suites in a renovated Lake house with many having stunning views over a private lake. Constant refurbishment is essential in luxury hotels for complete perfection. Its gardens are as well looked after as the inside of the hotel with different seating areas. Their aim was to create a terrace that comprised different ‘rooms’ for people to sit in. This has been created by breaking up the terrace with different materials and features such as ponds with water features and raised beds. During the day, the south-facing terrace enjoys the sunshine, and at dusk the sunset can often be enjoyed with pre-dinner cocktails. On warm evenings the terrace is candle lit. Pathways lead from the terrace to the south gardens and to the wild meadow and llama paddock.

The special services available set luxury Windermere hotels apart from the rest. Organisation of spa treatments for example, private dining rooms, chauffeurs and touches such as the turning down of bed covers at night.

In 1912 it was then bought by the local council, and used primarily as council offices until 1978. The field was used for the local sheep auctions on the last Friday of every month, and one of the ground floor rooms was occupied by the local dentist.

The third owner of the property was the National trust, whom for 14 years used the building as their offices, and then finally after being empty for two years Rothay Holme was returned to private ownership.

Beautifully restored, and tastefully decorated, it reopened its doors to provide quality and elegant Lake District Bed and Breakfast accommodation to those visiting the National Park.

Wordsworth made Grasmere his home and it is easy to see why he was inspired by the Lake District views. The recent £2 million redevelopment has ensured we are one of the highest rated of all hotels in Grasmere and Ambleside, challenging the very best luxury Lake District hotels. The hotel has 25 beautiful bedrooms, five loft suites, an elegant candlelit conservatory restaurant overlooking the gardens, chic lounge bars and two AA rosette dining, which all combine to ensure you have the Lake District short break or holiday that you deserve.

Just outside our Grasmere hotel, the renowned Lake District awaits you - Grasmere really is the ‘jewel of the Lakes’ and Rothay Garden is the most centrally situated of the Lake District boutique hotels for the Ambleside, Windermere and Keswick area.

This Windermere restaurant is owner managed so you can be assured of consistently high quality food, plus friendly and attentive service. Mojos is open 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday), except Bank Holidays (Tuesday to Sunday) and we serve food between 6pm and 9pm.

There is a beautiful function room available on the first floor for private dining, groups and birthday parties.

They provide second hand static caravans and quality used touring mobile homes to a varied customer base including;

• Full ownership on or off a holiday park
• Additional storage units
• Temporary accommodation
• Self build / renovation projects
• Staff accommodation for companies with seasonal work

Mobile homes range in price from £500 to £20,000 and should they not have a suitable caravan in stock, they guarantee to source one.

Various layout options are available (e.g. 2 or 3 bedrooms, double / single glazing) and all used static caravans and secondhand tourers are fully cleaned and prepared to a very high standard before they are delivered, enabling our customers to be able to move straight in.

Hansons Used Caravans are always looking to purchase static caravans and touring mobile homes. If you are looking to sell your mobile home or tourer, then please call Hanson on 01759 304996 / 07980 669774 for a quotation.

In additon to caravan sales, Hansons also provide caravan transport throughout the UK and Europe and they provide timed deliveries. This is a very specialised service, which can be difficult to source as various “wide load permits” are required. Hansons offer free quotations and site surveys regardless of whether you purchased your static caravan from them.

Commercially, Carlisle is linked to the rest of England via the M6 motorway, and to the Scottish Lowlands via the A74(M) and M74 motorways. By rail, it is located on the main West Coast line that runs between Glasgow and London.

Carlisle is an historic city and its origins can be traced back to a 1st-century Romain outpost associated with Hadrian’s Wall. The Brythonic settlement that expanded from this outpost was destroyed by the Danes in 875. Thereafter the region formed part of the Southern Uplands of Scotland, until colonised under King William II of England in 1092. William II built Carlisle Castle, which houses a military museum. Carlisle Cathedral, founded in the 12th century, is one of the smallest in England.

Along the City of Carlisle’s northern extent is the Solway Firth, which forms the western section of the Anglo-Scottish border, and thus divides the city from Dumfries and Galloway, one of the council areas of Scotland. To the east is the English county of Northumberland; to the south is the district of Eden and to the west and south-west the borough of Allerdale, both in the county of Cumbria.

Carlisle is a great place to visit as the city offers great shopping potential as well as an excellent choice of bars, restaurants and visitor attractions including Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle Castle, The Millennium Gallery and Carlisle Cathedral.

When it comes to places to stay, visitors will find Carlisle offers a wide range of quality accommodation, from friendly budget priced Carlisle bed and breakfast right the way through to luxury Carlisle hotels. Whether you want a peaceful country retreat or a convenient city centre stop over you are sure to find the ideal place to stay.

There are plenty of things to do in and around Carlisle including the Border Reivers cycle trail, which covers over a hundred miles of unspoilt countryside with a choice of three circular cycle routes to cater for all levels of cyclists. You could walk in the footsteps of the Legions, along the Hadrian’s Wall National Trail and around the beautiful surrounding areas or take a trip on Hadrian’s Wall Bus, visiting some of the market towns and villages along the way. You could also choose to relax and enjoy the views from the Carlisle to Settle Railway - the most spectacular railway journey in England.

There are a wide range of activities available within easy reach of Carlisle including a range of watersports at Talkin Tarn, such as canoeing, rowing, wind surfing and sailing. Other activities including horse riding and pony trekking at the Bailey Mill and Cargo Riding Centres, plus fishing on the rivers Eden, Esk and their tributaries are well known for salmon, sea trout and brown trout.

The money raised at the Lancashire Ladies luncheon was presented to Keswick Mountain Rescue by Stephen Johnson who invited Trudy Edgar to come along to help present the cheque and meet some of her rescuers again.

Trudy, who lives locally still loves coming back to stay at the hotel “It is a magical place. I have stayed in some fantastic places all over the world but the Lodore Falls is still one of my favourites - you could be in any luxury location and it’s only 30 minutes from home. What makes it special is the fantastically friendly customer service, the lovely food and a simply stunning location. The fact that the Lodore staff where part of my rescue team only makes me love the place even more”.

Summing up the presentation, Stephen said “The Lodore Falls Hotel regularly supports the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team because we often see them travelling up the valley to help people. It is unusual for us to have such firsthand knowledge and we will certainly continue to support them in the future.”

Anyone interested in organising charity events at the luxury Lake District Hotels Ltd Lodore Falls Hotel should contact Stephen Johnson on 017687 77285 or visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net

One of the main benefits of A Radio Fire Alarm System is that they reduce the needs to run cables to each individual device on the fire alarm system.  Modern radio fire alarm systems will only need cables to be installed to the control and signal booster panel positions to provide a mains supply.  This benefit of radio fire alarm systems means that have been ideally suited to listed type buildings.  It allows the installation of a fully functioning fire alarm system within the building while not ‘running’ cables where it is impractical to do so.  Examples of installations of this type are in Windsor Castle and The Ritz Hotel, both of which have radio fire alarm systems installed.  In some instances conservation bodies would also prohibit the installation of cables within protected buildings and radio fire alarm systems may be the only solution to allow the building to comply with current regulations and standards.

Another huge benefit to a radio fire alarm systems is the vastly reduced installation times.  As each device is battery powered and does not require a cable to connect it to the fire alarm system, a single device could be installed in a room in around 30 minutes.  A hard wired alternative system would in comparison take weeks or months to install, greatly increasing the installation time and the amount of disruption within the building.  In a hotel for example installing a ‘hard wired’ type system would take months to install.  It may be more cost effective to install a radio fire alarm system when the amount of ‘down-time’ is taken into account i.e. the hotel may lose much more revenue in shutting areas of the building while the installation of a fire alarm system is taking place.

Due to the flexibility and ease of installation, radio fire alarm systems are also being used as temporary systems.  Some building companies for example use radio fire alarm systems on sites where fire detection is required whilst building work is ongoing.  These systems can be installed as the building work commences and be used on the project until the project is finished.  The system can then be simply taken down ready to be used on their next project.  The benefit of flexibility can also seen when using radio fire alarm systems on projects with phased construction works.  The devices can be simply added and removed as work is on going without having to add and remove cables and therefore speeding up the construction process.

Advances in battery technology have enabled radio fire alarm systems to become easier to manage in terms of maintenance.  As the devices on a radio fire alarm system are all battery powered, there is no escaping the fact that these batteries will need to be changed.  However radio fire alarm manufacturers are embracing new battery technology to increase the battery life of their devices.  Many radio fire alarm system manufacturers are now using lithium batteries.  These batteries have a much greater life span than the batteries that were traditionally used and many radio fire alarm manufacturers are quoting life spans of up to 5 – 7 years for the batteries used within their system devices.

In conclusion radio fire alarm systems if correctly surveyed and installed offer huge advantages over traditional ‘hard-wired’ fire alarm systems.  Offering greater flexibility, reduced installation times and huge leaps forward in the reliability in the systems over the last 20 years.

The Eden Valley situated around the River Eden and is a mix of lush green countryside, traditional towns and attractive sandstone villages some dating back to Viking times. To the south are the peaceful Howgill Fells, a favourite of Wainwright.

The River Eden which has its source in the Mallerstang Valley, is one of the finest salmon and trout rivers in the North of England and you can enjoy some great riverside walks. Look out for Lacy’s caves, carved out of sandstone right on the riverbank or go in search of the Eden Benchmarks, ten intriguing sculptures in dramatic settings which act as welcome seats.

The most scenic railway in England, the Settle to Carlisle line runs through the Eden Valley with stations at Appleby and Kirkby Stephen. Penrith, a welcoming market town makes an ideal base to explore the area.

Alston and the North Pennines

Alston in the North Pennines is surrounded by a unique landscape of moorland, hills, rivers and waterfalls and is England’s highest market town. This intriguing town with its cobbled streets and fascinating nooks and crannies was the location for the ITV’s production of Jane Eyre and the Oliver Twist.

Enjoy marvellous views over the Eden Valley, Lake District hills and Scottish borders as you climb up to Alston via Hartside, a route named as one of the World’s Top Ten Most Scenic drives by the AA.

Alston and the North Pennines have long inspired artists and writers, the poet and writer W H Auden loved the area and today Alston is an inspiration to the craftspeople who live and work there. There’s a host of unusual shops in the town including quality crafts and galleries.

There is a good choice of Alston accommodation including hotels and guest houses to Alston cottages - many with great views and there’s a Youth Hostel in the town.

Take a ride on one of the lovingly restored steam and diesel engines on the South Tynedale Railway, a round trip from Alston to Kirkhaugh takes around 50 minutes through the beautiful scenery of the South Tyne valley. Visit The Hub Museum with its interesting local history and bygone transport collection.

The North Pennines used to be one of the wealthiest lead mining centres in Europe and you can go down a real lead mine today at Nenthead Mines Heritage Centre-a great family day out with interactive exhibitions.

Designated Britain’s first UNESCO European Geopark, the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a haven for special wildlife and plants.

Alston is an ideal walking and cycling centre with the Pennine Way passing through the town and great opportunities to get away from it all in the surrounding countryside. The C2C, Walney to Wear and Pennine cycle routes all pass near the town making their way through some stunning scenery. You can also go horse riding or fishing on the River South Tyne.

Ullswater Valley

Ullswater is known as one of “England’s most beautiful lakes” and at nine miles long is surrounded by dramatic mountains and inspiring Lake District countryside, featured recently in the “Miss Potter” film.

The perfect place to unwind, you can choose to stay in traditional farmhouses, cosy Ullswater cottages, welcoming guesthouses, fine Ullswater hotels or well run caravan and camping sites around the lake-all offering quality Lake District accommodation. Local restaurants, cafes and inns provide local fare and cuisine to suit all tastes.

The village of Pooley Bridge, at one end of the Ullswater valley is linked by a lovely drive along the lake to the villages of Glenridding and Patterdale at the other the end of the valley. Enjoy a cruise and soak up the atmosphere of this peaceful lake on one of the Ullswater “Steamers” which carry passengers all year round. There are piers at Glenridding, Pooley Bridge and Howtown.

Ullswater is a great lake for sailing, canoeing, windsurfing, fishing and skindiving and you can hire rowing, sailing or small motor boats to explore the islands and bays at your own pace. There’s an active sailing club, various activity centres and pony trekking too.

Follow one of the many scenic paths which skirt around the lake, much admired by Wainwright or head up to the nearby fells such as Helvellyn for a full days hike. Look out for red deer or red squirrels along the way!

Go in search of the Spring daffodils on the shore line around Glencoyne which inspired Wordsworth to write his famous poem or visit the National Trust’s Aira Force, where a series of waterfalls plunge through an attractive wooded ravine.

For anyone feeling less adventurous there lots of other enjoyable walks in the area including a choice of lakeside paths around Derwentwater, Bassenthwaite and Thirlmere, you can explore neighbouring valleys and secluded places, plus to the West of Keswick you will find the wonderful Whinlatter forest which offers a number of different forest trails.

Of course walking is not the only outdoor pursuit available in Keswick on Derwentwater there are opportunities for mountain climbing, mountain biking, sailing and kayaking to name a few.

Keswick on Derwentwater and the Northern Lakes covers one half of the Lake District National Park. This is the perfect area to choose for gentle relaxation or for an action packed family adventure holiday with lots of activities and attractions.

The picturesque market town of Keswick, nestled on the shores of Derwentwater, has a wide array of shops, restaurants and galleries. Explore the five major lakes, beautiful valleys and unspoilt villages.

For visitors to Keswick and North Lakes there is a range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets, whether you prefer a Keswick Guest House, hotels, caravan sites or Keswick cottages, the choice is yours.

When it comes to places to visit and things to do during your stay you will find Keswick has plenty to offer including Derwentwater lake cruises, Cumberland Pencil Museum, Castlerigg Stone Circle, Trotters World of Animals, Cars of the Stars Motor Museum, Mirehouse Historic House & Gardens and the Keswick Brewing Company.

When it comes to eating out in Keswick visitors will find an excellent choice of quality restaurants, pubs and hotels. Many different cuisines are catered for including traditional English bar meals with many places specialising in local ingredients. You will also find Italian restaurants, Indian restaurants and even a Mexican restaurant. Fine dining is available at some of the top hotels in the area including Armathwaite Hall, Lodore Falls Hotel and Swinside Lodge in Borrowdale.

Each year these beautiful and rare birds return to nest. The female osprey laid her first egg of 2009 at the nest near Bassenthwaite Lake on Thursday 16th April. Ospreys normally lay a clutch of three eggs.  Incubation is carried out mainly by the female and takes between 34-40 days.

Hundreds of people visited the Bassenthwaite area over the 2009 Easter weekend to get a glimpse of the Lake District Ospreys.   Visitors can get great views of the birds from a Viewpoint in Dodd Wood, only 400 metres away from the nest.  The Viewpoint is open all daylight hours, with staff on hand with telescopes from 10am-5pm daily, as part of the RSPB’s ‘Dates with Nature’ Project.

It is also possible to see the birds on the nest on a giant videowall at the Visitor Centre on the Forestry Commission estate at Whinlatter Forest, near Braithwaite.  Live pictures from cameras overlooking and inside the nest are also beamed to the screen and can also be viewed on the Project’s website ospreywatch.co.uk and the BBC Cumbria website at bbc.co.uk/cumbria. It is now easier than ever before to visit Dodd Wood and Whinlatter thanks to the Osprey Bus which was launched in 2008.  The liveried bus service named after the spectacular birds of prey operates around Bassenthwaite Lake taking in the Whinlatter Exhibition and the Dodd Wood viewpoint and runs weekends from 4th April to 31st August 2009, except during the following school holidays, 6-17 April, 25-29 May and 18 July - 31 August when it runs every day. 

As well as the Osprays, Bassenthwaite is a popular location for sailing. The Bassenthwaite Sailing club has been in operation since 1952 with RYA, or RYA Affiliated Club members entitled to sail on the lake at a cost of £10 per day. The tranquillity and exclusivity of this lake make it an amazing sailing experience. When staying the sailors are lucky enough to stay in some of the best hotels Lake District has to offer.

Mirehouse is most definitely worth a visit. Alfred Lord Tennyson stayed at Mirehouse whilst writing his poem ‘Morte D’Arthur’ in 1835. It is a private house but open to the public on Wednesday and Sunday afternoons. The grounds and a tea shop are open daily though. Further on from Mirehouse is an open air theatre erected by the Tennyson Society is the location where Tennyson was thought to have written most of that famous poem. All around the lake and the surrounding area is a strong literary feel along with a popular place for artists. The landscape is perfect for painting and photography. Work by local artists can be found in the excellent galleries in nearby Keswick. There is a selection of Keswick hotels to stay in whilst visiting.

If you have the time, resources and inclination, you simply have to fish these ultra-remote Seychelles waters, and perhaps nowhere comes as remote, pristine and untouched as Providence. Sell your company, resign from your job, take unpaid leave, and even tell the family a “minor” white lie to secure more fishing time, just do whatever you need to do to get yourself out here. So says Henry Gilbey who explored Providence as part of a small group on board Sea Pearl.

The bonefishing is on a scale so massive that previous experiences now seem little more than practise sessions. Big numbers of bulldog-like giant trevally (GTs) cruise seas so clear that on some days the water seems to become one with the endless blue skies. When these beasts charge your flies down it is unlike any fishing there is. I have witnessed fishermen freeze up as a GT’s back comes out of the water in its eagerness to nail your fly, and I have seen people jump out of the way of a rampaging GT on the hunt. Words will never truly describe a fishing experience as intense as sight fishing for GTs. Is this the ultimate?

I suppose it could be, but the bonefishing is off the scale as well. Vast shoals of monster bones swarm these remote flats, and I would hazard a guess that every single fish has never seen an angler before, let alone a fly. They fed so hard and aggressively that the guys were left in a state of shock by the whole experience. Mingling with the bonefish are huge milkfish, but that is another whole story on its own.

GT fishing in this part of the world is about as hardcore as fly fishing trips get. Bonefishing requires a wonderfully subtle and deft approach, and when hooked, they run off with a lightning burst of speed. GTs on the other hand defy belief in their aggression and defiant nature. Most fishermen will carry both a 12 and a 9 weight set-up when on fly fishing holidays to these places, to be able to fish for GTs, bones and other species as tides and locations change. Going from smashed knuckles and bruised pride on a bad-boy rampaging GT to dropping a size 6 in front of a graceful bone requires great skill and an ability to adapt at will. Possibly nowhere on earth is going to give the fisherman such (wonderfully seductive) choices to make. I therefore offer up the Seychelles’ remote atolls as one of the places you simply have to do your utmost to fish; it really is as good as fishing can be.

Everyone is looking for a bargain at this time of year so why should the sales be confined to the high street? Goosemire Cottages are offering discounts on full weeks booked in each of their 46 self catering properties. The discounts range from £30 - £50 depending on the property size.

The number of self catering holidays in the UK has risen quite dramatically in the last 2 years. Various factors have contributed to this for example the poor Euro exchange rate resulting in tourists staying in the UK and the cost savings of self catering compared with a hotel stay. A self catering holiday allows freedom, the ability to cook within the property so saving on restaurant bills and is an excellent type of holiday for families and pet owners.

Goosemire Cottages have available 46 traditional Lake District cottages for discerning visitors (Ranging from 1 to 7 bedrooms, sleeping up to 10). Most are rustic 17th or 18th Century Lakeland cottages or lovely barn conversions, where antiquity and modern comforts have been beautifully combined. The atmosphere and idiosyncrasies of each property are reflected on their website which offers full online booking facilities and information and images on each of their properties.

For more information on the Goosemire Lake District cottages January sale or their last minute booking discounts, visit http://www.goosemirecottages.co.uk/special-offers

Cumbria and The Lake District are very lucky to have a diverse range of small and artisan producers from lamb, beef and sausages to chutney’s and real ales. Such produce can be found in abundance and the inhabitants and visitors to the area are very spoilt. There are even hotels that have their own Victorian kitchen garden and farms. Such gardens supply as much fresh fruit and vegetables as possible to their hotels and the farms supply as much meat. Not only do many of hotels use local produce but they are taking it one step further and supplying themselves. This is a great marketing tool for a hotel and there are guests now having Lake District short breaks as much for the food as the scenery. In the south lakes especially, there are a huge number of local producers and suppliers.

Goosemire Cottages are a small family run agency offering holiday cottages in the Lake District, UK (with just a few exceptions) an all-inclusive rental price. Their limited overheads mean low prices and they pride themselves on their value for money approach. There are open all year round and offer out of season or last minute breaks. To help you relax, Goosemire Cottages adopts a “nothing is too much trouble” approach, ensuring a welcoming, informed and personal service. On arrival you will find your cottage carefully prepared, to give your holiday a perfect start. In fact from the point of your initial enquiry onwards they guarantee they will give both you and your holiday the warm friendly attention deserved.

Goosemire Cottages have available over 39 traditional self-catering holiday homes for discerning visitors (Ranging from 1 to 7 bedrooms, sleeping up to 10). Most are rustic 17th or 18th Century Lake District cottage accommodation or lovely barn conversions, where antiquity and modern comforts have been beautifully combined. The atmosphere and idiosyncrasies of each Lake District cottage property are reflected on our website, and while some maybe more luxuriously appointed than others, all are carefully prepared and maintained.

They offer Cumbria self catering holiday cottages in the following locations - Bowness on Windermere (largest lake), Lake Ullswater,( the Lake Districts second largest lake), Haweswater, the Eden Valley, Bassenthwaite, Grasmere, Kendal, Ambleside in the central lakes, the South Lakes peninsulas, and Wastwater. If you are feeling energetic you can go fell walking, climbing or even mountain biking. Other activities include sailing, wind surfing, fishing or bird watching.

For further information on the areas, availability and prices of all 46 cottages visit http://www.goosemirecottages.co.uk or telephone 01539 731 801.

Often, the gifts people remember the most are gift experiences not objects. Lake District Hotels Ltd are pleased to offer a solution to the age old gift buying problem in the form of gift vouchers which can be selected for use in any one of their six hotels.

The gift vouchers have been created to suit every taste, requirement and budget. For example, the hotel break vouchers are available for one or two nights and range from a standard room right up to a luxury four poster room. Other vouchers include food and drink vouchers which incorporate a two course lunch for four people voucher or a £25 wine voucher, vouchers for afternoon tea and spa vouchers which include luxury massages and manicure treatments or full “well being” spa breaks. If you aren’t sure or simply can’t decide on which voucher to buy, a monetary gift voucher for one of the hotels in an excellent idea. They come in values starting at £25 up to £250. Gift vouchers take away the worry of buying the correct size or colour for a present and they allow the versatility to be used at a time that suits them.

The Lake District Hotels Ltd group consists of six luxury hotels in the Lake District, The Inn on the Lake on the shores of Ullswater, The Lodore Falls on the shores of Derwentwater, The Borrowdale Hotel in the Borrowdale Valley, The George Hotel in Penrith and finally the Kings Arms and Skiddaw Hotel in Keswick.

For more information visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net and http://www.lakedistricthotels.net/giftvouchers/.

Self catering holidays benefit the environment too. The carbon footprint of a self catering holiday is significantly less than a hotel based holiday. Many factors contribute to this, the amount of lights, sheets and towels washed and spa and swimming pool facilities. Some self catering property owners and developers are creating a more eco friendly property, for example, installing solar panels, wind turbines and worming and composting facilities.

In areas such as Grasmere and Ambleside there some idyllic self catering properties such as traditional Lakeland houses dating back years. Staying in Grasmere cottages or Ambleside cottages means there are views in every direction.  Located at the heart of The Lake District National, some properties have views of Helvellyn also Silver How, Steel Fell and Helm Crag. Grasmere is an idea base for walking with the foot of Helvellyn just minutes away and located on main A591 road which leads right up to Keswick for the highest concentration of fells in the Lake District.

It is not just in the professional and commercial sectors where there has been an advance in tableware design. Top designers such as Terrance Conran and Vera Wang have designed collections and home owners are paying more attention to how their table looks. Dinner parties are back. The popularity of cooking programmes, the ability to buy high quality produce in supermarkets now and factors such as the recession could be contributing factors. Having a spectacular looking dining table makes guests feels special.

There are so many different ranges on the market to choose from with some very modern and distinct styles such as the Villeroy and Boch dinnerware ranges or for a more traditional look, Wedgwood, Denby and Aynsley produce timeless design ranges. Versace has even designed a range of Versace china.

Patterned dinnerware and tableware can date so if longevity is what is required then a simple white set cannot be beaten. White tableware goes with every colour scheme but should a more distinctive or modern look be required then there are some amazing modern designs around at the moment. Leaders in this field are designers such as Terrance Conran and Villeroy and Boch. Clean line designs in white are the dinnerware sets that are being most favoured at the moment. In a very practical sense of breakage, a broken white piece can be replaced even with a different range.  Buying key patterned pieces though to use with a plain white set is an excellent way to introduce colour or patterns whilst still keeping to predominantly white.

To complement the interest people have in cooking and dinner parties the items on a dining table and the settings should be strongly considered. How the food looks on a plate is extremely important as well as how the plate looks within the table setting. The look of the food is the first impression and as is regularly said, you eat with your eyes. The food itself needs to look appealing but what it is presented on can also greatly affect the way the dish looks. Top chefs know the importance of this and they will be the ones that choose the dinnerware range for the restaurant. Only a few years ago, a standard plate would be used to serve all the dishes. Now there are curved, square, rectangle, oval and shallow bowls.

You cutlery then needs to match the dinnerware. A traditional set of cutlery would look out of place next to a modern square plate for example. Likewise, a modern set of cutlery would not feel right with a traditional set of china plates. Leading cutlery brands such as Arthur Price cutlery have been manufacturing high grade cutlery for over 100 years. Their traditional ranges remain popular but they have introduced contemporary ranges in keeping with the modern look that many home owners are requesting.

One of the leading modern cutlery brands at the moment and one which is synonymous with innovative design is Villeroy and Boch. Villeroy and Boch cutlery as with other brands of such stature retain a timeless design but firmly keeping with a contemporary look. Due to the nature of stainless steel, cutlery can be a real statement on a dining table. For a customer wanting to achieve a very contemporary look, modern cutlery perfect finishing touch.

The first modular building we installed as a temporary walk in centre, was a used 6 bay modular building.

Prior to arrival on site, jackpad foundations were used to erect the building instead of traditional concrete foundations.

Portable Building Sales have agreed to purchase the building back after the Primary Care Trust no longer have a use for the building and in addition will also purchase the jackpad foundations leaving a clear and clean car park area once again.

The Portable Building Sales “buy back” scheme ensures that the building is removed safely, professionally and to the current Health & Safety and CDM regulations. They ensure that the Primary Care Trust has no disposal problems and receives payment for the building before it is removed.

Portable Building Sales Ltd is one of the few companies in the UK to provide this type of service.

The used steel framed modular building that was supplied consists of six plastic coated steel modules which have white Upvc double glazed windows. The building also has a plasterboard lined ceiling and walls and a double thickness plywood floor.

This used modular building was decorated internally, cleaned externally and reinstated electrically to the latest regulations.

This temporary modular walk in centre building complies with the current Part L2A 2006 building regulations and is extremely environmentally friendly as it only uses 3% of the energy required to manufacture an equivalent new modular building. This is because the embodied energy is transportable and therefore can be relocated to a new site.

Also there are significant cost savings to the client and in this instance the tax payer as well, as this building was approximately a third of the cost of an equivalent new manufactured modular building.

Portable Buildings completed the installation of this building within four weeks from the date of order and to the client’s complete satisfaction.

Even though this modular building is pre-owned, Portable Building Sales still provide a 12 months guarantee with the building.

Portable Building Sales provided the Coventry Primary Care Trust with complete peace of mind throughout the process of attending meetings, submission of our Health & Safety plans, supply and installation of the used modular building, arrangement of the crane, to even organising the transportation and temporary traffic management to enable the building to be off loaded from a road adjacent to the site.

For more information please visit http://www.portablebuildingsales.co.uk or telephone 01482 656590

The event was organized by Kit Graves in conjunction with Hilary Cookson from the renowned dress shop Maureen Cookson from Whalley in Lancashire and a regional a lifestyle magazine. Whilst there were a number of ladies from Lancashire, Liverpool and beyond, there were also tables of local ladies from Cockermouth and Keswick.

The fashion show was presented by Hilary Cookson from the Maureen Cookson shop and during her show she also gave a humorous talk about what to pack in a suitcase for holiday.

Local ladies include Susan Farrell and her team from Solway Heaters in Workington, they regularly book their Christmas parties but took the opportunity to have a look at the autumn clothing from Maureen Cookson. Her collection included a mix of practical and very stylish clothing and of course, some sparkle for Christmas.

Kit Graves, managing director of the group of hotels in the Lake District said “it was a wonderful opportunity for ladies outside the Lake District to experience what we have to offer. The autumn weather was lovely so they had a fantastic drive through the lakes. We were especially pleased to see a group of ladies who had been dropped off by their husbands for a surprise treat - they went on to do some walking and collected their wives on the way home!”

During the lunch, £750 was raised to support Keswick Mountain Rescue.  Anyone interested in finding out more about organizing charity events at the Lodore Falls Hotel should contact Stephen Johnston at the Lodore Falls Hotel on 017687 77285.

The first modular building we installed as a temporary walk in centre, was a used 6 bay modular building.

Prior to arrival on site, jackpad foundations were used to erect the building instead of traditional concrete foundations.

Portable Building Sales have agreed to purchase the building back after the Primary Care Trust no longer have a use for the building and in addition will also purchase the jackpad foundations leaving a clear and clean car park area once again.

The Portable Building Sales “buy back” scheme ensures that the building is removed safely, professionally and to the current Health & Safety and CDM regulations. They ensure that the Primary Care Trust has no disposal problems and receives payment for the building before it is removed.

Portable Building Sales Ltd is one of the few companies in the UK to provide this type of service.

The used steel framed modular building that was supplied consists of six plastic coated steel modules which have white Upvc double glazed windows. The building also has a plasterboard lined ceiling and walls and a double thickness plywood floor.

This used modular building was decorated internally, cleaned externally and reinstated electrically to the latest regulations.

This temporary modular walk in centre building complies with the current Part L2A 2006 building regulations and is extremely environmentally friendly as it only uses 3% of the energy required to manufacture an equivalent new modular building. This is because the embodied energy is transportable and therefore can be relocated to a new site.

Also there are significant cost savings to the client and in this instance the tax payer as well, as this building was approximately a third of the cost of an equivalent new manufactured modular building.

Portable Building Sales completed the installation of this building within four weeks from the date of order and to the client’s complete satisfaction.

Even though this modular building is pre-owned, Portable Building Sales still provide a 12 months guarantee with the building.

Portable Building Sales provided the Coventry Primary Care Trust with complete peace of mind throughout the process of attending meetings, submission of our Health & Safety plans, supply and installation of the used modular building, arrangement of the crane, to even organising the transportation and temporary traffic management to enable the building to be off loaded from a road adjacent to the site.

For more information please visit http://www.portablebuildingsales.co.uk or telephone 01482 656590

From construction equipment to fabrication and refurbishment of large excavator buckets, mining buckets and dredging buckets and from steel structure fabrication to on-site welding.

This diversity also gives you access to a wealth of problem-solving experience backed by a CAD design and drawing service.

There is an excellent choice of accommodation available within Eden including hotels, guest houses, Cumbrian cottages and caravan parks. Away from the main holiday season many of the Lake District self catering cottages offer the flexibility of short breaks rather than just whole weeks, so visitors can enjoy a long weekend in the area and perhaps buy some fresh local produce to cook yourself at the property. However, your eating requirements are catered for by the many excellent restaurants and traditional pubs that reflect the local flavour.

Historic Penrith, often referred to as the “Gateway to the Northern Lakes”, is the major town in the Eden Valley, with a good mix of traditional shops selling locally made products and crafts, including famed Cumberland Sausage and Penrith Toffee.

When it comes to places to visit during your stay the Eden Valley offers a wide range of historic houses, castles, gardens, craft workshops, galleries and museums. In fact there are over seventy visitor attractions in Eden. For the more active there are many sporting facilities including sailing, windsurfing, horse riding, golf, squash, tennis and
fishing.

One of the area’s key activities is Appleby Horse Fair, which takes place every June. The Horse Fair gathers together travelling folk from all over the country, buying and selling horses, keeping alive a 300 year old tradition. This is Britain’s largest gypsy gathering, with hundreds of tradition horse‐drawn caravans converge on nearby Gallows Hill.

Walkers will find Eden is wonderful walking country, either a leisurely walk along river banks and lake shore or you can take to the higher paths over the Pennines and Lake District fells. In fact, the Pennine Way National Trail reaches into the Eden Valley at Appleby‐in‐Westmorland as it winds its way towards Scotland. Cyclists can follow the coast to coast (C2C) and Cumbria Cycle Way, both routes are clearly marked along the way.

The River Eden provides challenging fishing, and has in place a “Go Wild” scheme to enable visitors to try wild fishing on the river.

The development of new areas by Greenland expedition groups from Great Britain has resulted in much more travel, exploration and ascents in the Kronprins Frederik Bjerge, the Lemon Bjerge, the many peaks round the Kangerdluassuaq Basin, the Watkins Bjerge, and areas behind the Blosseville Coast such as the Rignys Bjerg mountains, Lindbergh Fjelde, the Gronau Nunatakker, the mountains of Knud Rasmussen Land and the remote peaks of the aptly named Camp Icefield. Further north still, within the Greenland National Park area, more British groups have been very active climbing in Goodenough Land, Louise Boyd’s Land, the Martin Knudsens and Niels Holgersens Nunatakker and Dronning Louise Land, A major factor in these recent developments since the early nineties has been the role of Paul Walker and his logistics operation, Tangent Expeditions International, which by co‐ordination of air operations has facilitated access for many expeditions into these more remote areas during the 1990’s and 2000’s.

Further south, the Schweizerland region continues to be a major draw for Greenland expedition groups with continuing development of high standard rock climbing, and increasingly the seeking out of big wall climbing as seen in the Fox Jaw Cirque above Tasiilaq Fjord, and on prominent peaks like Tupilak by the September 16 Glacier. The Staunings alps too, continue to exercise their hold on those seeking demanding alpine climbing. These trends seem likely to persist, alongside a growing interest in ski‐touring and ski‐mountaineering. Many previously unclimbed and unexplored mountain ranges still exist throughout east and northeast Greenland, containing literally thousands of remaining unclimbed summits.

The last few years have also seen the first signs of development of winter Arctic mountaineering expeditions in Greenland, an exciting and challenging prospect. In March 2004 Paul Walker led an international team of climbers who attempted the first ever winter ascent of Gunnbjørnsfjeld, the highest mountain in the Arctic at 3,693m. Forced back by temperatures in the ‐40’s and strong winds and frightening windchill on the summit ridge it will no doubt only be a matter of time before this, and numerous other peaks, begin to attract and receive true winter ascents. Indeed Paul Walker and Team Tangent returned to the mountain in March 2006 to make a successful winter Greenland expedition attempt from the north side of the mountain. Thus, although Greenland’s many and varied mountains lack the altitude of the Himalaya or the Andes, their remoteness and likeness to Antarctica, and the promise of new ascents will go on attracting those who search for the rewards of exploration and attainment of new mountaineering experiences as the 21st Century marches on.

With Windermere station a mere 10 minute ride away and numerous trails on our doorstep you won’t need a car to get the most out of your biking break.  Four-star Windermere self-catering cottages, secure bike storage and a wash down station ensure you and your bike are well catered for at Windermere Marina Village. 

Occupying an enviable position on Windermere Lake, the marina is the largest in the North of England offering not only moorings but self-catering accommodation too.  The cottages overlooking the marina are spacious, well-equipped and offer you a little luxury after a day out cycling.  Many of the cottages have double rooms that can be converted to twins offering flexibility for groups and can be booked for 3, 4 or 7 night breaks.  Throughout your stay you will also enjoy full use of our onsite bar, bistro & leisure club; soothe those aches and pains with a dip in the Jacuzzi or pint on the terrace.

Jason Dearden, Managing Director of Windermere Marina Village & mountain biker says “We want to provide cyclists with the facilities they need and are keen to encourage people to leave their cars at home, reduce their carbon footprint and enjoy the stunning Lake District landscapes; so we’ve installed secure bike storage, provided flexible accommodation and an incentive to book”. 

For further details of the facilities on offer please check out the Lake District cycling holidays section of the website at or call the reservation team on 015394 46551.  Please quote “Car Free” to receive your £50 discount and ensure the bike storage is booked along with your cottage.

Marbella is an area on the Costa Del Sol and which is famous for many things but its beaches have to be one of its top attractions. Marbella alone has over 24 beaches on its 27 mile length. Quite a high concentration don’t you think! The weather station at Malaga Airport records around 2815 hours of sunshine each year which is an average of nearly 8 hours per day. With this amount of light, it isn’t hard to understand why the beaches on the Cost Del Sol and Marbella are some of the most popular in the world.

Probably the most famous of the Marbella beaches is Puerto Banus due to this town also being the most famous and visited parts of Marbella. Puerto Banus is teaming with the rich and famous who play on their boats moored in the beautiful harbour there. It is the place to be seen when staying in one of the luxury Marbella rentals which are available. Another playing ground for the rich and famous is Nikki beach. This beach is an exclusive beach and has beach front beds along with fantastic food. This beach may feel a little intimidating but it is well worth a visit.

The two longest beaches at 2000m long are Casablanca and Los Monteros. Both are heavily visited beaches near large Costa Del Sol apartment blocks. The smaller beaches of El Cable and La Vibora are frequented less and are in quieter areas for those who want to get away from it all.

Water sports are popular around Marbella and the surrounding areas. Nagueles beach offers good surfing potential and La Vibora beach is where water sports such as wind surfing and jet skiing are seen frequently. Other water sport activities that can be done are fun sports such as banana boats, tubes/ringos through to more skilled wakeboarding, kneeboarding and parasailing.

The beaches are very well equipped with most having amenities such as bars, showers and toilets along with a high level of cleanliness. Life guards are also present at most and a high number have the Blug Flag rating for safety and cleanliness. These factors are high priority for families with small children.

With the huge number of holiday rentals Costa Del Sol offers, this amount of coastline is most definitely required with over 2 million holidaymakers flying into Malaga airport each year. The 2 million visitors have a plethora of beaches to choose from along the Costa Del Sol. The largest, Calahonda is 4500 metres long through to the more modest 320 metres El Bombo beach. It is a destination for people of all ages and interests which is why its popularity has continued to grow throughout the years.

Nerja, on the east of the Costa Del Sol, has some lovely quiet coves and beaches with excellent views over the Mediterranean Sea. Cala de Maro at Nerja is made up of a number or coves and small beaches with some parts of it only accessible by foot making this area a great get away and for those wanting a more tranquil experience.

Independent Wheelchair Lifts
Wheelchair lifts are extremely beneficial for disabled drivers with manual wheelchairs who wish to be independent. They fit most cars and operation is easy. These wheelchair lifts offer enclosed protection from the elements, for the wheelchair and the cost of transferring it to your next vehicle is minimal.

Wheelchair and Scooter Lifts
Wheelchair and scooter lifts are designed to lift manual wheelchairs and scooters and can be fitted to hatchbacks, estate cars, 4 x 4’s and MPV’s. When not in use, these devices store neatly away and can be transferred should a new car be purchased. The wheelchair and scooter lifts come in various models depending on the weight of the wheelchair or scooter, typically around 40 to 150kg lifts.

Person Lifts
Person lifts are for lifting people from their wheelchair into a vehicle and out again. Some models enable the person to stay in their wheelchair which then becomes the car seat. These devices are extremely practical and useful and can be bought for use in the home or the car. It makes the lifting of people effortless and with complete comfort for the disabled person.

Swivel Seats
Swivel seats for cars are a quick and easy way of making getting in and out of cars much easier. Pulling a simple lever allows the seat to be manually swiveled through approximately 90 degrees, making it easier to either stand up or doing a sliding transfer onto a wheelchair or scooter. Each swivel seat usually come with glide rails to enable the user to position the seat for optimum comfort when travelling. The seat can be used on either the passenger or driver side. When used on the driver side, there may be limited rotation. There are even special swivel seats available for MPV’s and 4 x 4’s which can also be utilized on mobile homes. These seats swivel out but also lower the person as well.

Hand Controls
There are various push pull hand controls available for installation in to cars. These devices can be for a single control use or can multiple controls for example integral indicator switches. There are devices that operate secondary functions at the touch of a button can also include:

• Indicators & hazard lights
• Headlights
• Horn
• Windscreen wipers (front and rear)
• Windscreen washers (front and rear)
• Fog lights
• Other functions may be possible, e.g. Radio on/off, heated windscreen, etc

Should a person not be to operate the foot pedals in an automatic car then there are push pull systems that can be fitted which enable them to do so. The rods connecting the controls and the pedals are fixed within the steering column for safety and ease.

Other devices that can be fitted are steering wheel balls for one handed steering, easy release mechanisms for handbrakes and one that enables the switching of the accelerator operation from left to right.

Someone who has had no problem catching the fish lately is Swedish angler Tomas Spur who boat fished the venue and in 2 consecutive days landed 37 trout on the fly. In complete contrast to the English approach of Di – 7 and lures, Tomas adopted a floating line approach with a 20 foot leader and fished a gold head hares ear nymph on the point with very small nymph patterns on the droppers. Fishing an extremely slow retrieve Tomas took 37 rainbows and browns over a 2 day stint.

Peter Wilde from Kent fished from the boats also and took a cracking rainbow of 3lb+ from around the cages area of the lake on fly!

Worm and spin anglers though have been producing altogether better results. Fishing around the cages Andy Foreacre and Glen Brian from Bolton used worm fished 15 feet down to take 5 rainbows to 3lb+.

Grasmere is stunning village, one of the most picturesque but what Grasmere is most famous for is one particular past inhabitant, William Wordsworth. Wordsworth lived in Grasmere for 14 years and was quoted in saying it is, “the loveliest spot that man hath ever found”. Dove Cottage is where he lived until 1808 and it is now a museum and art gallery dedicated to the life and work of Wordsworth and other influential poets and artists. Approximately 70,000 visitors walk through Dove Cottage every year with tours, exhibitions and children’s activities.

Grasmere is also famous for its gingerbread. Dating back to 1850, Sarah Nelson’s gingerbread is now sold all over the world. The Grasmere Gingerbread shop is located in the same building that the first batch of gingerbread was made all those years ago. It also has connections with Wordsworth.

Grasmere is an excellent base for fell walking on some of the most famous fells in the Lake District. Scafell, Helvellyn, Skiddaw and the Langdale Pikes are all very near. There is a number great hotels in Grasmere to stay in. The village is so geared up for tourism that there is accommodation of all types from luxury Grasmere hotels to small bed and breakfasts. All are used to having walkers stay and accommodate them readily but should complete peace and quiet be required, there are some lovely Grasmere self catering cottages. Many being traditional Lakeland slate cottages.

Art is a large part of Grasmere with the exhibitions at Dove Cottage and the Heaton Cooper Studio which exhibits work by Alfred Heaton Cooper and his son William Heaton Cooper. Both landscape artists, their work in oil and watercolour captures the Lake District exceptionally. The Heaton Cooper Studio is run today by William’s son, Julian and which also exhibits work by other members of the family including Rebecca Heaton Cooper and William Heaton Cooper’s wife, Ophelia Gordon Bell.

Art can be bought in many different forms, one very in vogue at the moment is canvas art. The canvas is stretched over a wooden frame and oil or acrylic paint can be used or even mixed media. The canvas stands away from a wall and enables the painting area to go right to the edge. Painting around the edges can also be done for an enveloped look.

Art is the perfect gift for someone very special. Some artists offer the service of recreating a memorable photo into oil or acrylic. This is a highly personal and special gift and something completely unique. Such a service has been enabled to be found through the internet. The internet has been the most influential part in enabling art to be reached to the masses and now being more accessible. Galleries that were once confined to purely the premises can now sell and advertise their work online and reach the whole country in fact, the world. Artists that may not have been able to afford a gallery premises can now sell their art online, reaching a far wider audience. In the respect of the consumer, a huge variety of artist’s styles, genres, media and themes can be chosen from. Mail order has enabled the artwork to be sent when collection is not obtainable. There are artists in the UK that through the internet, have been able to sell their work to clients abroad. This brings in a whole new market and is extremely exciting.

Guest artists are now selling their canvas artwork through large department stores. As with many of the supermarkets that stock local produce, this is a similar occurrence in department stores with local artists. Even if not local, then an artist can sell their work through a selection of stores.

Interior design has become high in a home owners mind in recent years with shows such as 60 Minute Makeover, Changing Rooms and other home make over shows. Artwork is always a large part of the overall finish of the room that has been decorated. Interior designers are working more and more closely with artists for artwork that complements the interior of a room. A piece of canvas art can make a huge difference to the way a room looks and feels and can transform a drab, boring room into something very special.

So, to conclude, art is one of the oldest forms of enjoyment yet new technology has in fact transformed and lifted art. It has made people feel more comfortable about art and that it is available for anyone, not just the rich or privileged.

The recent wedding fairs at The Lodore Falls Hotel and Inn on the Lake attracted over 650 of mothers and ‘brides to be’ - which only goes to highlight the importance of the Lake District wedding venues.

Kit Graves, Director of Lake District Hotels Group said “We decided to hold a Wedding Fayre at the Lodore Falls Hotel because it gives us the chance to show off the venue and is real opportunity for our Chefs to show off their culinary skills; offering taster samples from our wedding menus and displaying some of THE most temptingly delicious deserts. Chef Nigel Harper was the most popular man on the day - in charge of the tasting sessions and there were queues for one to one chats.

With such a large turnout of mothers and brides to be, there is no doubt that Lake District Hotels are still a firm favourite for Lake District weddings - despite the current climate  There were over 40 different stall holders at the event - all of whom received serious enquiries from couples marrying in the next couple of years.

Sophie Kings, Wedding Co-ordinator at the Lodore Falls Hotel said “Winter weddings are becoming ever more popular and for those that married in the ‘Lakes’ last winter, the snow made their weddings picture perfect. With difficult economic times it is even more important that brides are sure they choose the best venue for their wedding - that’s why we created a Winter Wedding Offer which includes extras, focusing on adding value and saving £100’s to make your winter wedding budget go further. The Wedding Fayre was an ideal time to launch the Winter Fairytale Wedding Offer which allows couples to try the venue for free. They stay for two night’s dinner bed and breakfast and we will refund the cost when they book their wedding with us.

Couples receive even more added value when booking  Winter Weddings - we will also include a FREE top table for up to 8 guests, free chair covers to match their colour scheme and reduced winter room rates too that’s a saving of £100’s.*

Visitors to the Wedding Fayre were certainly left with a true flavour of how we make each wedding day extra special and unique. There was a real buzz and a fantastic atmosphere. With over 40 different stall holders the event was described as a fairytale sweet shop for brides to be!

Anyone interested in finding out more about the Winter Wedding offer or looking for a venue should contact Sophie Kings at the Lodore Falls Hotel on 017687 77285 or visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net/weddings

I have a great web site and want to maintain my branding, can I change the look and feel of the customer booking pages to match my web site style and brand?
While many owners are happy and successful with standard booking calendars, some have a particularly stylish site or simply want to maintain their branding, then some booking calendars can be customised to reflect the original web site’s style.

I like the idea of taking payments online, but prefer to speak to the customer and confirm a booking before taking deposit payments - is this possible?
Some systems allow the creation of invoices and let you specify which payment methods are accepted. Having spoken to a customer and confirmed they are happy, an invoice can be created and e-mailed. The guest receives an email pointing them to a page detailing the invoice and payment methods. It is then the operators choice as to whether they take payments online, by cheque or other means.

Are these systems secure?
Security is paramount so make sure the software company has its own dedicated servers and that the data on which is accessible only by the company. Ask if the computer is located in a secure building with the appropriate security checks, passcards and alarms etc.

Are these booking systems reliable?
In property circles its location, location, location that matters. On the internet it’s availability that matters, 24 hours a day, every day. Every minute your website or internet service is down you are potentially losing customers. Servers should be monitored 24 hours a day using monitors such as the WebsitePulse professional monitoring service. WebsitePulse also monitors booking system performance to ensure booking system operates efficently - slow websites lose customers which is why we ensure the booking calendars display quickly.

I like to have control over my bookings - does this system take that away from me?
You should have complete control. Any bookings placed via the standard system are provisional. You receive the booking details, then liaise with the customer to confirm the booking and any particular needs they may have and to arrange payment.

I don’t want to take bookings, I just want to show my availability and increase enquiries - is that possible?
Yes as systems are available with an enquiries-only option. Instead of placing a booking, the system simply obtains the customer’s contact details and preferred dates. You then follow this up to confirm the arrangements and take the actual booking.

If a customer books via the system, am I then forced to take their booking even if I don’t like the sound of them?
No. The customer is made very aware that bookings are provisional until they are confirmed by the owner. No money has changed hands, and there is NO legal obligation to accept their booking. If for whatever reason you wish to decline their booking, you are free to do so. You may wish simply to say that someone else has booked the property for example.

Will I need to change my current web hosting to use a booking calendar?
No, most systems run from a dedicated server so you won’t need to invest in new hosting. Although it will appear as part of your website, all the system pages are on our secure server computer.

How will an online reservation system help me?
•    Let you add a live availability calendar to your website
•    Let you take bookings or enquiries via your website
•    Let you take payments online
•    Notify you instantly you get a booking or enquiry via an email or to your mobile phone via text message
•    Help you organise and keep track of your bookings, both those taken via the system and via other sources
•    Enable you to keep track of who’s confirmed, who’s paid and very importantly who hasn’t!
•    Enable you to quickly produce professional looking invoices and even take payments for invoices by credit card
•    Keep your data in a secure place and back it up for you every day without fail
•    Give you an overview of your availability and how successful you’ve been in ensuring maximum occupancy in the past.

A quirky, unique or personal gift, no matter what budget, can be extra special. A real emphasis should be on the thought, not the budget. Thoughtful Birthday gifts can be worth so much more than an expensive item which has hardly any thought. This is especially true with children. How many times does it happen that a child will be more taken with a smaller gift but that is fun, than the main present that cost fortune?!
Special gifts are guaranteed to bring a smile to anyone’s face no matter what age as well as the giver of the gift. Quirky gifts are available now for example, grow your own chilli plants, to become a laird or lady, or own a share in playboy.

The giving of gifts is not just birthday’s, sending Wedding gifts or at Christmas anymore. Easter, Mother and Father’s days, Christenings and moving house are seeing increasing amounts of gift giving. Everyone likes receiving presents so it enables even more excitement than just on the usual days.
Finding the right gift has never been easier now we have the internet. The online gift industry is huge. Having the choice of so many online retailers at a touch of button means a special gift can always be found and the ability to have the present gift wrapped and sent direct to the receiver makes it even easier.

As modular buildings are constructed in a factory, the weather does not affect the construction time which means a more accurate and faster completion date is achievable unlike a traditional construction site where the weather and other factors often mean a building is delayed. Even electrical wiring is done in the factory.
Modular buildings are either constructed from a single section or in the case of larger structures, they are made using several sections. These structures can be ordered from a company’s standard range or they can be made to specifically designed and built to the needs of the end user/company. Once completed, the modular building is shipped to its location where foundations will have been layed and these foundations can be temporary or permanent depending on what the need is for the building.

Modular buildings are almost unrecognisable from those available 10 or 15 years ago. They are far more complex and are of far better quality with many incorporating state of art technologies and materials. In these tough economic times, the ability to save a great deal of money on office space, extra classrooms and temporary health care centres for example is crucial. Modular buildings fulfil all the criteria required whilst being quickly and cheaply erected.

From environmental perspectives, modular and portable buildings have advantages over traditional construction. The manufacturing process creates far less waste than traditional construction and can be built cost effectively but using materials that are both environmentally friendly in the construction process and for fuel saving when occupied. As mentioned earlier, not all modular buildings are permanent. Due to this, second hand modular and portable buildings are available. When purchased, these pre owned structures embody even more environmental effectiveness. The embodied energy required to manufacture a modular building is transportable as the embodied energy is locked within the fabric of the building. Therefore the energy contained within pre-owned modular buildings can be transported and relocated to another site. In traditional buildings this is largely lost when they are no longer required and demolished, even when the materials are re-cycled. However, with modular and portable buildings the embodied energy can be relocated along with the modules to another site.

Thomas Cross has joined Hillthwaite as the new General Manager. His family roots are very local with his Grandparents having been the proprietors of the Old Dungeon Ghyll in Great Langdale, back in the 1950s and 60s. Thomas hopes to bring some of his own skills to Hillthwaite and offer customers an even better experience.

Thomas Cross says “I have already realised that the Hillthwaite House Hotel is a very special place, with a very positive and calm nature”!! Being extremely lucky to live and work in the wonderful area of the English Lake District, Thomas makes full use by having a keen interest in fell walking with his walking companion, Ruby the dog.

Set amidst the beautiful surroundings of the Lake District, between the villages of Windermere and Bowness, Hillthwaite House Hotel is the most ideal of Lake District Hotels for all types of breaks including short Lake District weekend breaks or for use as a base for your walking holiday in the Lake District National Park. Impeccable service and comfort, lovely food sourced from local produce, friendly, attentive staff and the many guests that return to the hotel time after time speak for itself.

Hillthwaite House Hotel has been awarded a VisitBritain Quality in Tourism Rating of 3 stars and the silver award.  Silver Awards are given to Hotels and Guest Accommodation that provide exceptional quality in all areas, in particular in service and hospitality. It reflects a high level of quality, comfort and cleanliness in bedrooms and bathrooms with very good levels of customer care and food provision.

For more information on the Hillthwaite House Hotel visit http://www.hillthwaite.com or telephone 01539 443 636.

Who requires Braille, large print or audio transcription?

Blind or visually impaired people
Employers of blind or visually impaired people
Businesses providing services to blind or visually impaired people
Friends and family of blind or visually impaired people

Companies and public sector organisations should be able to comply with the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) so that no one can be disadvantaged through a lack of information. Transcription services providers ensure this is done. Everyday items such as wage slips, utility bills and bank statements are essentially required to be transcribed into Braille or other transcription formats.

Braille is the most associated media when discussing transcription. Braille printing was invented by Louis Braille in 1821. Over 180 years later, this method is still effective. Transcriptions come in other formats though, for example large print and audio transcription. Large print is simple process but can greatly benefit a visually impaired person.

Transcribing documents into more user friendly formats is another job of a transcription service. Graphs, tables and charts can be hard to read for a partially sighted person or for someone with learning difficulties. A transcription services provider can convert the graph etc into an easier to understand format.

What makes transcription so easy and accessible now is technology. Files can be sent to a transcription services provider by email or on a CD and in the instant of audio transcription, the audio file can be saved as an MP3, onto CD or tape.

It is not just within business that document transcription has progressed. The Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Act 2002 which came into force in October 2003, has made it far easier to have a previously copyrighted document to be transcribed. It has removed the copyright laws that haltered transcription and now a visually impaired person can make an accessible copy of any “Any literary, dramatic, artistic or musical work”.

Unvented:
Unvented Cylinders work off the mains pressure water, and therefore use the water mains pressurised system to move the domestic hot water around the property, and so eliminates the need for a header tank in the loft.

Unvented Cylinders offer higher hot water flow rates, and are therefore able to provide higher water pressure for showers, baths etc.  As an Unvented Cylinder does not require a feeder tank, this frees up valuable space in the loft area, and also gives you the option to site the Cylinder anywhere you want thus freeing up further space in your airing cupboard.

Unvented Cylinders are generally manufactured out of top quality stainless steel, this ensures long life and durability, and Unvented Cylinders can also carry a manufacturer’s guarantee of up to 25 years. E.g. the Gledhill cylinders range.  Other Manufacturer’s guarantees may vary.

Vented Cylinders

A Vented Cylinder (or cistern fed) has a header tank that is usually situated within the loft area.  This header tank feeds through the cold water from the mains feed, and relies on gravity to pass the water through the pipes to your heating/hot water system.  A vented hot water cylinder is normally associated with a conventional heating system.

Vented Cylinders are manufactured out of copper, with the copper varying in thickness measured in grades.  The better the grade, the better the resistance to copper corrosion, and therefore advances the longevity of the cylinder.  A domestic vented copper cylinder is usually Grade 3 such as Gledhill hot water cylinders.

Direct

A Direct Cylinder is heated via an internal element, usually an immersion heater.  The water in the cylinder is heated by these immersion heaters directly, hence why the cylinder is called “direct”.  The water in the cylinder is not heated via any other heat source.  Once the water has been heated, it is then fed out the top of the cylinder and supplied to the required outlet.  E.g. Bath or Tap.  Larger capacity Direct Cylinders can have up to three internal immersion heaters, to ensure the maximum amount of hot water is available.  Direct Cylinders are available in Vented or Unvented Models.

Indirect

Indirect Cylinders are heated via an external heat source, such as a boiler or solar panel.  The water inside the cylinder is then heated using an internal coil/heat exchanger, which transfers the heat obtained via the external heat source, to the water inside the cylinder.  Although the cylinder is heated via an internal heat exchanger, the original heat is obtained externally, and therefore why it is commonly referred to as “indirect”.  Indirect cylinders may be fitted with immersion heaters, acting as a supplementary heat source, but they will still be considered to be Indirect Cylinders. Some manufacturers supply an immersion heater as standard, therefore any additional ones will need to be purchased separately.  Indirect Cylinders have a faster heat up and recovery time than that of a Direct model. Indirect Cylinders are available in Vented or Unvented Models.

Solar Cylinders

Solar Cylinders are specially designed for Solar Heating installations.  A mixture of water and a special Glycol liquid (specially designed to absorb maximum heat from the sun’s rays) is circulated through pipe work in the solar panels.  This liquid is then returned to the cylinder where the heat is transferred to the stored water via an internal coil/heat exchanger, the liquid is then pumped back to the solar panels to be reheated.

An additional coil is also required to obtain heat from an alternative source, if the heat from the Solar Energy is insufficient.  This is most commonly referred to as Indirect “Twin Coil” Cylinder.  Direct Cylinders can be used for Solar Power, with the added heat source being supplied via the internal immersion heaters.  It is advised however, to install an Indirect Cylinder, as this provides faster heat up and recovery time.

Whether you are a beginner or a highly experienced angler you will find the region has plenty to offer when it comes to Lake District fishing. The more adventurous may enjoy experiencing one of the region’s many hill tarns, or fly fishing on say, the river Eden, or perhaps boat fishing on one of the lakes, or even sea fishing. For the less experienced why not combine you activity break with some expert tuition from one of the area’s qualified instructors. You could also combine tuition with a visit to one of the fisheries, such as Esthwaite Water Trout Fishery and many Lake District hotels offer special fishing breaks along with all the information required on fishing in the Lake District.

There are a number of Lake District fishing restrictions in place that include no live bait, or leads in National Trust Waters. Anyone over the age of 12 is required to hold a rod licence, these are issued by the environment agency, but they can be purchased from most local post offices for the day, week or season, or you can even buy them online. There are two types of licences available for Non-Migratory Trout and Coarse Fish, also Salmon and Sea Trout. Which Licence you obtain depends on which species you are fishing for. Full information can be obtained from the Environment Agency website.

Below you will find some additional information regarding fishing permits in the Lake District:
Bassenthwaite Lake - Permits available from Field & Stream, a fishing tackle shop in Keswick on 017687 74396.
Brotherswater West Shore, Patterdale National Trust
Tel: 015394 35599
Dacre Beck near Penrith. Tickets from Sykes Sports Shop, Penrith or Pooley Bridge Post Office - Tel. 01768 88294.
Derwentwater, Eastern side of lake, permits from Field and Stream, Main Street, Keswick - Tel: 017687 74396
River Eamont Fly fishing for trout only from Pooley Bridge to River Eden. Permits from Sykes Sports Shop, Pooley Bridge Post Office - Tel. 01768 88294.
River Eden - ideal for Salmon fishing before the season ends on 14th October at Lazonby Estate, near Penrith, contact : Edwin Tailford - Tel: 01228 560122. From 15th October there is some good fishing for Grayling on this stretch of the river.
Ullswater Lake - Fishing is available from the Inn on the Lake’s three private jetties. Permits are available from Glenridding Tourist Information Centre - Tel: 017684 82414
Watendlath Tarn near Keswick - ideal for Rainbow Trout. Contact Stephen Edmondson - Tel: 01768 777293

Firgarth Windermere Guest House has the advantage of car parking, and is situated just a short walk from Windermere centre, with its many shops and restaurants and rail/bus station. We make an ideal base for touring, walking or just a relaxing break at any time of year.

Just take a 15 minute walk through ‘Millerground’ to the shores of Lake Windermere or alternatively climb to ‘Orrest Head’ from where stunning views of Lake Windermere and Morecombe Bay can be enjoyed.

Firgarth offers eight bedrooms comprising of double, single, four poster and king size double which are all ensuite. All rooms are centrally heated and decorated in a combination of modern and traditional design, all have colour TV, tea and coffee making facilities, hairdryer and a range of toiletries.

Three rather special Ambleside cottages have been imaginatively converted from the barn and stables of our 17th century farmhouse. The Hawkshead cottages are set above a quiet country lane [National Grid Reference: 33420,49970] on the edge of Black Fell [a ‘Wainwright’ fell] close to Tarn Hows, near Hawkshead.

Each of the Hawkshead cottages has its own individual character and is centrally heated for all year round comfort. Benches outside the cottages and on the fell side, as well as the al-fresco dining area and barbecue, make an ideal location in which to absorb the peace and tranquillity of the area whilst enjoying the views and abundant wildlife.

Now there are integrated audio visual, or AV, installations that can really make a difference at a conference, meeting or pitch to a prospective client. There are various audio visual and sound system installation packages available, many of which are tailor made to each specific requirement. For example, a large conference room can have 3 separate audio visual installations enabling the room to be divided into three, acoustically isolated rooms for hire to individual groups. Such installations can be operated completely independently but also have the ability for all of the projection systems to display the same image when the main hall is completely open for large delegations.

To further engage delegates and in addition to an audio video installation, interactive whiteboards can be used to energise presentations and motivate learners. Interactive whiteboards combine the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer and engages students and audiences. The touch-sensitive display connects to your computer and digital projector to show your computer image. You can then control computer applications directly from the display, write notes in digital ink and save your work to share later. And what is a huge plus point with these interactive whiteboards is that if a person can use a computer, they can use one of these systems.

Hardcragg Hall is the latest addition to Holidaycottagescumbria.com Cumbria portfolio of 5 individually owned luxury Lake District holiday cottages. Hardcragg Hall is the pinnacle of 5 star luxury self catering accommodation and can facilitate large groups of up to 14 guests with its 7 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. This stunning Elizabethan manor house makes an excellent choice for luxury family holidays, short breaks, celebrations, special occasions, wedding guests, parties, large groups or for a get together of family or friends.

Hardcragg Hall is steeped in history and dates back to 1563 and this grade II listed country manor house is reputed to be the oldest building in the local area. There are several spacious reception rooms that all interconnect, including the dining room, drawing room, bar area, breakfast room, library, the oak panelled entrance hall area with its roaring log fire and the snug lounge with patio doors leading out into the landscaped gardens and grounds. The recently furnished farmhouse kitchen is superbly equipped with everything you will need to cater for large groups or couples alike and boasts a four oven Aga.

This large Lake District self catering accommodation sleeps 10+ is ideally located in Grange-over-Sands on the Southern edge of the English Lake District. Grange over Sands is one of Cumbria’s secret gems and is the Lake District’s principle sea side town. This is an ideal location for scenic fell and woodland walks, together with a mile long, traffic free promenade overlooking the sands of Morecambe Bay.

Holidaycottagescumbria.com is owned, managed, and run by Simon Cleasby with the help of a team of good housekeepers, and maintenance staff. Simon is a knowledgeable local Cumbrian (nee Westmorland) with a huge passion for the Lake District and Cumbria. Simon travelled and worked his way around the different continents for a few years before coming back to live in the South Lakes to start up this luxury Lake District holiday cottages company.

Scottish golf courses are all over. The particular Scottish areas doing well for golf include Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dumfries & Galloway, the Scottish Borders, Perthshire and pockets of the Highlands. The supreme Scottish golf hotspots, containing golf courses which frequently host the Open Championships, are to be found on the Ayrshire Coast, The Angus Coast, the Fife Coast and in the heart of Perthshire. Scotland golf location meccas include Troon, Turnberry and Prestwick on the Ayrshire Coast, Montrose and Carnoustie on the Angus Coast, St Andrews on the Fife coast and finally Gleneagles luxury golf resort in Perthshire. International golf visitors are well served by airports near these Scotland golf hotspots. For the Ayrshire golf coast head to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, for the Angus golf coast look to Aberdeen Dyce Airport and both St Andrews and Gleneagles are just a reasonably short drive from Edinburgh Airport and the many Edinburgh hotels.

Troon on the Ayrshire coast, alongside Prestwick and Turnberry, is renowned for its place within the history of Scottish Golf. The Royal Troon golf course plays host to numerous world class golf competitions including the Open. Golf lovers will want to take a turn on the Old Course at Royal Troon, touching golf history and admiring the splendid views from the course across the Firth of Clyde.

You could certainly describe Prestwick as a Scottish centre for golf. The famous Prestwick Golf Club is home to the Open Championships - the first Open was held here in 1860. Situated off the A79 and just one mile to the north of Prestwick Airport, you can be literally straight off the plane and playing golf here on this historic Scotland Course.

Turnberry on the Ayrshire Golf Coast boasts two splendid luxury golf courses, both part of the luxury golf resort and golf hotel complex Westin Turnberry. The two on-site Turberry golf courses here include Turnberry Kintyre, with a Par 72 and Ailsa golf course, one of the world’s best golf links course. Ailsa is remembered particularly for the Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson showdown in the 1977 Open Championships.

St Andrews on the Fife Coast of Scotland is a pilgrimage for golf fans looking to play golf in the footsteps of golf champions. The famous six golf links St Andrews courses are open to the public so you can touch golf history on the Old Course (Handicaps required). Cottages in Scotland are a great idea for accommodation.

Bassenthwaite Lake, a key habitat for the ospreys, is a National Nature Reserve and a Special Area of Conservation owned and managed by the Lake District National Park Authority.

Each year these beautiful and rare birds return to nest and this Easter was made ‘eggstra’ special by the return of our male and female Osprey 2 weeks ago.  The female osprey laid her first egg of 2009 at the nest near Bassenthwaite Lake on Thursday 16th April.  The female bird is now incubating the egg and it is hoped that further eggs will be laid in the coming days.  Ospreys normally lay a clutch of three eggs.  Incubation is carried out mainly by the female and takes between 34-40 days.

Peter Wells, General Manager of The Castle Inn Hotel Keswick said: Staff at the hotel are very ‘eggcited’ that the first egg has been laid.  We are hopeful that there will be more eggs and that the clutch will hatch in time for our Spring Bank holiday visitors in May.

Hundreds of people visited the Bassenthwaite area over the Easter weekend to get a glimpse of the Lake District Ospreys.   Visitors can get great views of the birds from a Viewpoint in Dodd Wood, only 400 metres away from the nest.  The Viewpoint is open all daylight hours, with staff on hand with telescopes from 10am-5pm daily, as part of the RSPB’s ‘Dates with Nature’ Project.

It is also possible to see the birds on the nest on a giant videowall at the Visitor Centre on the Forestry Commission estate at Whinlatter Forest, near Braithwaite.  Live pictures from cameras overlooking and inside the nest are also beamed to the screen and can also be viewed on the Project’s website www.ospreywatch.co.uk and the BBC Cumbria website at www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria.

It is now easier than ever before to visit Dodd Wood and Whinlatter thanks to the Osprey Bus which was launched in 2008.  The liveried bus service named after the spectacular birds of prey operates around Bassenthwaite Lake taking in the Whinlatter Exhibition and the Dodd Wood viewpoint and runs weekends from 4th April to 31st August 2009, except during the following school holidays, 6-17 April, 25-29 May and 18 July - 31 August when it runs every day.  A bus timetable is displayed at the hotel as the liveried bus service picks up from and drops off at The Castle Inn Hotel during these times.

Of course, it isn’t just leisure guests that need to be lured. With businesses cutting staff and budgets, the business guest is just as important to target. Cumbria is an excellent stop off for business guests from the south on their way to Scotland. Another market is conferencing. Conferencing facilities and packages are offered in most of the larger hotels Lake District now. With most conferences held on week days, it is an excellent market to target. Creative marketing campaigns are springing up such as the Best Western ‘message focussed menu options’ where bread and water is an option if a team has recorded poor performance. This is an eye catching campaign but which saves the business money but helps to improve the performance of their team as the same time.

Short breaks offers for leisure guests have been popular for some time but short breaks are a great way to get away when money is tight. Keswick hotels are popular with leisure and business guests due to its location and facilities. Easily accessible from the M6 motorway, Keswick has some of the most equipped hotels in Cumbria and with such fantastic scenery and walking, it creates a very cost effective break. An area full of activities and stunning scenery is the area of Keswick and Bassenthwaite. There are many Keswick hotels that offer child friendly rooms with excellent leisure facilities on site. These facilities include heated swimming pools, gyms, tennis courts, putting greens and some even have games rooms with both board games and computer games such as Wii consoles installed. The practical facilities within these hotels come in the form of flexible meal times for children, the use of complimentary high chairs and cots, bed time books and stocks of essential items such as nappies, baby milks and food and dummies.  Bassenthwaite the village itself is one of the most beautiful Lakeland villages and is an ideal base for discovering the woodlands of Thornthwaite Forest and the trails of Dodd Wood. It is the northernmost and only true ‘lake’ in the Lake District; it is renowned for its peacefulness, accessibility and continually changing scenery caused by changeable weather and seasons.

With hotels keeping creative with their offers, listening to the needs of their guests both leisure and business and keeping up a high standard, it should hopefully keep them in a much better position during this recession.

This exclusive development of Lake District lodges for sale offers you a tranquil retreat with nature and luxury sitting side by side. Each of the log cabins for sale in Cumbria is finished to the highest standards, ideal for comfort. It is the perfect holiday base to get out and enjoy the many wonders of the English Lakes.

Whether it is relaxing, getting back to nature, outdoor pursuits or sight seeing, High Bracken Lodges provide ideal Lake District holiday homes for sale. The farm boasts fantastic open views of the fells, with walks through bluebell woods and a river to splash your wellies in.

The seasons bring many changes on the farm from new lambs in Spring, to the Summer grass mowing, right through to Winter cattle feeding, find out all the latest with the news and pictures on The Farm page.

The Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales are filled with things to do and it is all on your doorstep here, the local tourist board site has lots of information.

If it’s shopping, restaurants or culture you want then these lodges lie just a short distance from Kirkby Lonsdale with its boutique shops, delis and pubs or the historic market town of Kendal.

For more information and to arrange a viewing please call Eileen or Stephen on 015395 67219. We have regular open days and are open for viewing every weekend 12 - 4pm. We look forward to hearing from you.

Open for viewing every weekend 12 - 4pm.

Alston, Newby and Kirkby Stephen are lesser know areas in the Eden Valley. Kirkby Stephen is a market town with cobbled streets and rural scenery leading to wild uplands. Kirkby Stephen has a great atmosphere and community making it a great place for a drink or a bite to eat. It has three public houses and individually owned shops.The distinctive local stone used is very different to the slate used in structures in south Cumbria.

Newby, with its Pennine backcloth, delightful Jacobean Hall, and surrounding landscapes really have a rather special unchanging beauty. Newby, neighbouring Lake Ullswater and picturesque Appleby in Westmorland, it is a small mediaeval market town of distinction.

Alston is the highest market town in the UK at 1000 metres above sea level. The road leading to Alston is a motor biker’s paradise, the A686 up Hartside Fell. The road climbs steeply and bends almost at right angles and has been voted by The AA as one of their “Ten Great Drives”. The views down into the Eden Valley are views to savour with the craggy Lake District fells to one side and the pennies to the other. Passing right through the Eden Valley is the Coast to Coast route which runs from St Bees on the West Cumbrian coast across to Whitley Bay so this area is very popular with cyclists.

The Eden Valley will surprise with its wide range of activities - strenuous mountain walks to gentle riverside strolls, watersports, golf and even activity centres where paintball shooting, archery and quad biking can be experienced. For such an activity packed holiday, Lake District cottages and Cumbrian cottages are a good choice of accommodation type. They give greater room for equipment, for cyclists especially, and are located in settings where a hotel or bed and breakfast would never be.

For those interested in buying either Devon holiday homes, or second homes in Devon, but are struggling to find available properties within their budget, then an alternative would be to consider luxury lodge. There are a lot of advantages to choosing Devon lodges including the affordable price tag, the high quality finish and luxury furnishings.

These days holiday lodges come with better specifications than a lot of houses with broadband, sky TV, spacious plots, large decked areas, paved courtyards and all year round holiday use. Better still on some of the top Devon resorts you will also be able to make use of the onsite facilities such as heated indoor swimming pools, golf courses and equestrian centres.

You will also have peace of mind about the security of your home as the resort will provide a range of security and maintenance services including a private access controlled entrance to ensure your investment is protected all year round. In keeping with such a luxury investment, you will not be responsible for chores such as grass cutting and ground care around your lodge. These tasks will all be taken care of for you so that you are free to relax and make the best of your holiday time.

Woodlands is one of the few Windermere hotels to achieve a five star guest accommodation status. Sarah and Alan Ayres, the proprietors, were thrilled to be recognised for their hard work by the AA, which was awarded for their exceptional standards of quality guest accommodation and service.

Woodlands Hotel in Windermere is a handsome Edwardian Villa situated between the villages of Windermere and Bowness in Cumbria – the Lake District, just a few minutes away from the shores of Lake Windermere. Guests will enjoy the luxury, stylish and contemporary Boutique accommodation being offered at Woodlands, which has now been formally recognised as being one of the finest hotels in Windermere. There are a total of fifteen luxury and en-suite guest bedrooms including a choice of single, double or twin bedded rooms. The resident’s bar and lounge is an exciting space for guests to relax after a long day’s site seeing and exploring. According to the AA, a five star Guest House needs to demonstrate an awareness of each guest’s needs with nothing being too much trouble. All bedrooms must be en-suite or have a private bathroom, with excellent quality beds and furnishings. Breakfast must include specials/home-made items, high quality ingredients, and fresh local produce. The new suite meets and even exceeds The AA’s five star criteria.

Sarah and Alan have not compromised or neglected their environmental policy through these refurbishments and improvements. They continue to support the Tourism and Conservation Partnership and hold a CBEN bronze award for good environmental practice. With the escalating effects of using a car on both the environmental impact and the rise in fuel costs, Woodlands offer a collection service from Windermere train station.

For more information on the new suite or to check availability go to http://www.woodlands-windermere.co.uk or telephone 015394 43915

A piece of artwork is something that reflects a person’s personality and individuality. It can be a statement or can blend sympathetically with a room’s design and colour scheme. It is a way of personalising a room and many pieces of canvas art hold sentimental value from a special holiday or which could have been passed down from a relative.

Many people rent houses and flats. Either there are rules that the accommodation must not be altered in any way or should the tenancy be just 6 months, painting, decorating or doing any such DIY is not a viable expense in both time and money. A piece of artwork can make rented accommodation homely and provide a personal touch that is often missing in these circumstances. The piece of canvas artwork can then be packed up and moved to the next home.

There are many artists now that work closely with interior designers for both residential and business contracts. Designers can specify exactly the colours required to match the interiors and artists have been in agreement with following those schemes. It now means that some artists offer artwork that can be painted in colours to suit a client’s interior and the ability to order online enables the consumer or designer to choose from artists nationally, in fact, even worldwide. Art is becoming more and more accessible which is in turn, making pricing more accessible as well. The rise of shows such as ITV’s 60 Minute Makeover and DIY SOS, where the inclusion of pieces of canvas art are always showcased in the final room. This has enlightened home owners to the effects a piece of modern artwork has on an interior.

Combe Martin has grown in its visitor numbers and now has a large caravan site along with the ability to purchase Devon holiday homes on site. These Devon holiday lodges are growing in popularity. The Devon lodges can be found with two to four bedrooms so they are perfect for families with plenty of room to store surf boards and bikes. The location of Combe Martin is great for tranquillity but then Woolacombe and Croyde are only a short drive away for the surfing and younger crowds. Woolacombe and Croyde both hold a Blue Flag status for their beaches and surfing is in abundance.

Things are changing quite rapidly though and the biggest contributor is the demise of the Euro. At the current rate, you get 1.01 Euro’s to 1 British pound. This makes a huge difference when calculating the currency required for taking abroad. Not too long ago, the exchange rate was 1.60 Euro’s to the British pound. The rise in fuel and transportation costs has effected island tourism destinations quite severely. Many tourists, even in 2008, would have noticed the rise in costs of food and beverages on their holiday abroad.

The UK has some of the best scenery and destinations in the world from dramatic coastlines to mountains in the Lake District and Scotland. The current economic climate is effecting just about everyone in the UK at the moment. Money is tight but there has not been a better time to book a short break or holiday in the UK. There is a huge choice of hotels in the Lake District offering discounts on nightly rates or special offers at the moment. This is the perfect opportunity to stay in a hotel that may otherwise be out of the usual budget. Many of the Lake District hotels have an excellent standard of restaurant, some with a 2 AA Rosette rating or just purely serve good quality, local produce of which the Lake District has a plenty.

Once in the Lake District, the activities couldn’t be cheaper. The best and most popular activity in the Lake District is walking and this is completely free of charge. Most Lake District hotels have superb walks straight out of the reception door so there is no need to use the car once parked up at the hotel. This also means public transport can be used to travel to the Lake District which can helps the environment as well as the pocket. All the hotels are geared up for walkers so most also offer a packed lunch service which is a great idea and further keeps down the costs during the day. The money saved in the day can then be spent on a meal in the restaurant as it will be fully deserved after a day on the fells.

Value for money can come in different forms. Added value is an offer that should not be dismissed. Added vale can be an extra night free when two nights are booked, free dinner on the first nights stay or an upgrade for an early or mid week booking. These offers often work out cheaper than a monetary discount and guests are realising this. Greater thought into purchases is happening throughout consumers whether it be a household appliance, a gift or for travel.

Marbella is a playground for the rich and famous although in recent years, more affordable holidays have become available. This area attracts visitors from the UK and Ireland but also Northern Europe. This is typified west of the town at Puerto Banus, this area attracts visitors from the UK and Ireland but also Northern Europe. A St Tropez like marina at Puerto Banus is home to million pound plus ocean going boats. Marbella as a whole has a very cosmopolitan community which has built up during the years. Many famous people have resident’s in Marbella which has all the characteristics and facilities required to serve them, casinos, boutique and designer stores, street cafes, world class restaurants and luxury night clubs.

As with most of the Costa Del Sol, golf in Marbella is a very popular activity. There are around 50 golf courses many with huge country clubs. The 320 days of sunshine a year mean as with all of the Costa Del Sol, it is the perfect.

Marbella as with most of this coast is steeped in heritage so it isn’t just all shopping and golf when it comes to leisure activities. The White Village “Mijas” is well worth a visit. The village set 428 metres above sea level and it is obvious why it is called the White Village due to the hundreds and white-washed buildings. The views from the village are spectacular, right across the whole of the Costa Del Sol coast. Due to the nature of the village with its narrow cobbled streets, Mijas has a very close community especially with those over 60, many of which are English speaking.

It isn’t hard to find the real Spain in Marbella. There is the Old Town, which is based around Orange Square or ‘La Plaza de los Naranjos’. In this vacinity are three historical buildings: The 16th Century Town Hall, the old Governor’s House and the Chapel of Santiago. As in Mijas, you will find small cobbled streets, small boutiques, galleries, local tapas bars and other authentic restaurants.

There is a varied range of Marbella accommodation from apartments and hotels to private Marbella rentals. Some properties are beyond most people’s wildest dreams. Rental Marbella can be found in the forms of villas, apartments, townhouse, marina properties and golf accommodation. Short and long terms lets can be found with most providers. Properties can be found in central locations where a car is not required or for a more peaceful holiday, there are retreats away from the central locations.

The climate on the Costa Del Sol is the mildest in Europe with over 300 days of sunshine per year and an average temperature of 18c. This is reflected in the number of holidaymakers that fly into Malaga airport each year, over 2 million. The 2 million visitors have a plethora of beaches to choose from the largest, Calahonda at a length of 4500 metres to the more modest El Bombo beach. It is a destination for everyone of all ages and interests which is why it’s popularity has continued to grow.

The Costa Del Sol encompasses some of the most famous holiday destinations in Europe, Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Fuengirola. Along the coast is Marbella with its famous marina at Puerto Banus.
As with much of the Spanish coastline, the Costa Del Sol has many golf courses, around 70. Golf is a major attraction in this area with the Volvo Masters held at Valderrama and the large choice of courses to suit all abilities. The views from courses such as the Baviera Golf Club are stunning over to the sea and the mountains.

It was in the 1960’s that the Costa Del Sol felt the tourist boom with the introduction of the package holiday. Until then, it was either Spaniards of the rich and famous that came to this part of Spain. The package holiday made the area accessible to the. To meet with demand, the area had to be developed and large high rise apartment blocks started to spring up. The many communities within the Costa Del Sol are now very international but there are still large number of Spaniards and the real taste of Spain can still be found especially in the small hillside villages with their low rise, white washed buildings.

There are types of Costa Del Sol accommodation to suit every requirement, taste and budget from a Costa Del Sol apartment to one of the many types of holiday rentals Costa Del Sol offers. There are apartments, townhouse, villas and golf properties and these can be situated right in the heart of an area or just off the beaten track for a quieter experience.

Coniston is surrounded by a tremendous landscape of streams, lakes and mountains including the most famous and distinctive, Coniston Old Man. Coniston Old Man rises to 2,633 feet and can be walked in various ways to suit all abilities. Dow Crag provides some of the best rock climbing in Great Britain, while lake-shore walks to Torver are very popular. Grizedale Forest, located nearby is the ideal landscape for mountain biking, viewing the many sculptures within the forest, walking and there is a Go Ape experience there too if you are staying at one of the Coniston hotels.

Tarn Hows is a location that a huge number of visitors to the Lake District make a trip to. Its stunning setting and panorama brings some three-quarters of a million people a year to view it. This view looks almost due north across the foot of the Langdale valleys towards Helvellyn.

Coniston Water is only 10 minute walk from Coniston village. On the lake there is a Steam Yacht Gondola, a plush Victorian steam-powered yacht and the Coniston Launch. The Coniston Launch has been converted to solar-electric power and has a regular sailing timetable in the season with the ability to also hire each boat for private functions.

Synonymous with the lake is Donald Campbell. It was on Coniston Water where he lost his life attempting the world water speed record in the famous Bluebird boat. His body is now laid to rest in the local cemetery. Donald Campbell successfully broke the water speed record in 1955 but it was when he was trying to regain it in 1967 that he lost his life. Coniston has lots of references and memorials in memory of him including information regarding him in the Ruskin Museum.

Brantwood is the home of John Ruskin. It can be visited by cruising across the lake or a pleasant walk by foot. It is a house of historical importance but also a centre for contemporary arts attracting 30,000 plus visitors each year. John Ruskin was a very influential man inspiring the founders of the welfare state, the National Health Service, the National Trust and public libraries. Brantwood is now an essential attraction to visit when in Coniston.

There are a number of plus points that make a self catering holiday attractive. Here are some examples:
1.    Of course, top of the list, kitchen facilities, allowing cooking to be done yourself. A huge money exercise especially for families. When in a group, the cooking can be shared and the it can actually be quite a fun event.
2.    Storage facilities and space. If having an activity holiday or a family holiday where there are bikes, walking gear or sailing equipment, most self catering properties have the space to store this equipment and space for drying is necessary.
3.    Lake District cottages are often set amongst fantastic scenery and tranquil locations, allowing a complete “get away from it all” holiday. A complete change from the hustle and bustle of a city and a chance to spend time in a property completely different from home.
4.    The ability to come and go when you please unlike a hotel when rooms need to be cleaned and door are locked at a certain time.
5.    Children can play with other family’s children and parents can take it in turn to babysit so that each set of parents can have a night to themselves.
6.    The more the merrier for fun and money saving. Clubbing together between 2 or 3 families, a group of friends or couples saves a huge amount of money. There is greater interaction compared with staying in separate hotel rooms.

Recent years have seen a tremendous rise in the number of self catering properties to choose from. No longer is a self catering holiday spent within a dingy flat. Lake District self catering cottages can be found for 2 persons right up to 16 and from the basic small house to luxury cottages complete with flat screen TV’s, wood burners and luxury interiors with all the modern conveniences of washing machines, dryers and dish washers.

Self catering holidays benefit the environment too. The carbon footprint of a self catering holiday is significantly less than a hotel based holiday. Many factors contribute to this, the amount of lights, sheets and towels washed and spa and swimming pool facilities. Some self catering property owners and developers are creating a more eco friendly property, for example, installing solar panels, wind turbines and worming and composting facilities.

What better location for a self catering holiday than a farm.  More and more self catering accommodations are situated on working farms or properties that were once working farms providing a great opportunity to help farmers who are diversifying into tourism in order to subsidise incomes.

“The decision to use Woodfuel was initially brought about by the cost savings involved and a wish to reduce our reliance on LPG. The type of woodfuel we chose, chip rather than pellets, was motivated by a wish to use a locally sourced product that would reduce our Carbon Footprint further, whilst benefiting not only the local economy but also local woodlands and their biodiversity.” Nick Lancaster, Langdale Estate.

The Langdale Estate provides luxury Lake District hotels, spa, timeshare and self catering holiday accommodation. As a tourism facility situated in the heart of an area of outstanding natural beauty, The Langdale Estate management team is striving to balance the requirements of its visitors with the sensitivities of the local and wider environment. The Biomass boiler project is part of an overall Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility policy that has been adopted at Langdale with the aim of creating a sustainable tourism destination and as an ethical employer.

The Langdale management team have taken a conscious decision to enable safe access for the purposes of demonstrating the various processes of taking raw timber and converting it into heat for the hotel. There is a safe viewing area in the wood processing/storage areas at Birch Hill Wood. Viewing panels have been fitted in the on-site fuel bunker with safe access to the main boiler for guided visits further enhancing The Langdale Estate as one the most environmentally conscious hotels in the Lake District.

Further information regarding the Biomass project can be found at http://www.langdale.co.uk/environment/index.htm

The Grand Design Live exhibition is to be held at ExCel London between 25 April and 4 May 2009. Grand Designs Live 2008 was a huge success for Kris. Making numerous contacts and gathering an outstanding amount of new orders, this exhibition was worth all the hard work. A huge draw to Kris’s stand was him painting his canvas artwork live at the exhibition. It enabled Kris to speak one to one with his prospective clients.

Kris is not averse to painting is canvas art live and speaking to people whilst working. Kris appeared on ITV’s 60mm last year and is going to be on 5 more shows in the next.

Last year Grand Designs Live saw a massive increase in visitor numbers up from 40,000 in 2007 to a staggering 100,000 in 2008. 2009 is set to be as if not even more popular with the launching of domestic gadgets and gizmos that haven’t been released yet and new and innovative products of today and tomorrow’s house builds. That coupled with over 450 exhibitors.

Kris is very excited to be exhibiting at Grand Designs Live again this year. Kris graduated from the University of Huddersfield in June 2000 but he is no stranger to London after completing a 2 year MA at the Royal College of Art between 2000 and 2002. He has been producing contemporary canvas art since graduating and has exhibited work in various exhibitions, show homes, bars and salons around the UK and abroad, working with a number of interior designers to supply art work to them. He also exhibits in over 20 John Lewis departments stores, primarily in London. Through exhibiting at Grand Designs Live, he is hoping to showcase his artwork to a wider audience, different to those of John Lewis and his home town of Hull.
The launch of his website http://www.krishardy.com in 2006 has meant he has a travelling portfolio of his previous, latest, bespoke and John Lewis work. Incorporating an ecommerce system has enabled his work to be purchased online delivered to anywhere in the world.

His very contemporary approach to his artwork style and attitude to artist - client relations is refreshing. The approach he takes with his work is to produce high quality, original acrylic-on-canvas paintings that complement the client’s interior. All artwork is painted to order by Kris himself and comes in standard sizes depending on the painting format. The refreshing approach is highlighted greatly by his comment “I more than happy to do bespoke sizes and colours, as I believe if you want a piece of art for a specific space then you should not have to compromise”.

Grand Designs Live
London Excel 25 April – 4 May 2009
Tickets weekday advanced £10/on the door £15
Weekend and Bank Holiday Monday advanced £13/on the door £18
For more information on Kris’s exhibition and latest work visit his website www.krishardy.com and for directions and opening times for Grand Designs Live go to www.granddesignslive.com

Grove Farmhouse is the latest addition to the four holiday cottage lets already on the farm. This new renovation comfortably accommodates 8 - 10 people. Grove Farmhouse has been finished to a very high standard and contains all the modern conveniences expected from a luxury holiday let without compromising the original features of the farmhouse. Grove Farmhouse has two lounges each with log burning stoves, wireless broadband access and in the kitchen, a traditional Rayburn cooking range. A total of three bathrooms make this property an excellent choice for a large group.

The luxury Lake District cottages lie in the beautiful Stock Valley in Ambleside. They are reached by a private drive from Ambleside, which runs past Stockghyll Falls and nature park, climbing to 700 feet to offer some of the finest Panoramic views in the Lake District. Each of the Cumbrian cottages has been lovingly converted from a traditional Lakeland barn. Guests are invited to relax in the secluded gardens, or explore the farm and its wildlife.

Andrew Howard together with his brothers Max and Ross, took over the running of Grove Farm in the summer of 2008.Their family has been farming for over 150 years on the edge of Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. Grove is a typical Lakeland hill farm, running to some 160 acres of grass and woodland on the slopes of the Stock Valley. The pastures on the farm are home to the Howard’s herd of pedigree Dunn Galloway cattle. The cattle are sold to local speciality butchers.

Grove Cottages at Grove Farm have given them the opportunity to share their love of the Lakeland countryside, and guests can enjoy firsthand the same amazing views and sense of peaceful serenity that attracted us on their first visit. Previous visitors to Grove Farm will know that we are blessed with a fantastically stunning location, and with Ambleside being so close there is plenty to do without spending too much of your valuable holiday  time in the car.

For further information and to check availability go to http://www.grovecottages.com or telephone 015394 33074.

With this beautiful lake and the mountains at the doorstep, including Helvellyn, one of England’s highest peaks, there is always somewhere new to explore in this lovely region and you will never be short of something to do.

Your hosts, Keith and Lindsey Morgan, have been providing Ambleside bed and breakfast accommodation for over twelve years and will endeavour to make each and every guest’s stay  as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

there are eight attractive and well appointed en-suite rooms. Visitors can choose from family, triple, twin, double or single with either a bath or shower room. Stylishly simple and tranquil, all eight en-suite rooms have been newly decorated to offer a comfortable, warm and relaxing place to unwind after a day’s activities.

Motorcycle theft has been rising year on year although it must be remembered that the number of motorbikes on the road has also grown. 80% of motorbikes are stolen from the home. According to the Police, around 50% of motorbikes stolen were not locked. In the UK, mopeds and scooters are the most stolen forms of motorcycles.

Established in 1992 by Northumbria and Essex Police with the help and backing of the Home Office, Sold Secure is an independent body funded by UK insurers that tries to set a bar to eliminate low-level products from the market. Manufacturers and suppliers can apply to have their products approved by Sold Secure. They assign three levels: bronze, silver and gold.

Sold Secure: Bronze: These products offer resistance or attack from the basic tools (aimed at preventing opportunist crime). Sold Secure: Silver: These products offer theft resistance against enhanced tool list (aimed at preventing more determined attacks). To award Gold they test the products on the bikes to recreate a real-life theft situation. Disc-locks undergo some of the hardest tests to pass on a bike: wedge test with hammer chisel and screwdriver. Locks without double-locking pins do not pass. The Gold testing also involves lock picking, drilling, slide-hammering, sawing, wedging test and a torque test. Testers require 6-8 samples, and they study technical drawings before the tests to determine weak points. They re-test annually. It isn’t just for the assurance that the lock has been thoroughly tested but having a lock approved by Sold Secure can even reduce your insurance premium.

Leading manufacturers of motorcycle security devices are Xena, Squire and Oxford. Squire Locks are well respected in the motorcycle sector. Henry Squire and Sons Limited have been manufacturing locks and theft prevention devices in England since 1780. XENA Security began in the early 1990s when a group of UK engineers and motorcycle enthusiasts set out to design a better motorcycle lock and Oxford Products was founded in 1973 by a group of enthusiasts at University City of Oxford. Still today, Oxford Products is staffed by active enthusiasts who test and develop the product range.

The romantic nature of this area unsurprisingly attracts couples looking for a wedding destination. Year on year the Lake District is attracting more and more couples with hotels in the Lake District seeing steady increases in weddings throughout the year. There is an excellent choice of Lake District wedding venues due to the high number of hotels. Having this choice enables a wedding party to select the best venue for the size and theme of the wedding. Many hotels offer a cruise on one of the lakes on the wedding day. This can be for the bride and groom only or for the whole wedding party.

The area is very much geared up for Lake District weddings. The large number of weddings held in Lake District hotels has meant other facilities are readily available such as car hire, photographers, DJ’s and cake makers. Should the bride and groom live out of the area, no services need to be brought with them. This of course makes organisation much easier and keeps costs down.

1. Live availability and online bookings – Many customers will not wait for you to get back to them with your latest availability, they will just go elsewhere. Therefore you need an online booking system that displays your live availability and allows customers to make a booking with instant online payments.

2. Easy to use and install – You should look for a system that someone with only basic web editing skills can install, with no complex installation instructions. This way you will easily be able to manage and maintain your booking calendar without the need to call on your web developer each time something needs amending.

3. No commission charges – You should look for an online booking system that can be purchased for a fixed annual fee rather than having to continually pay out a percentage of each booking taken through the system.

4. Customisable booking pages – It is crucial that your reservation system can be fully customised in order to fit in with the look and feel of your website in order to maintain the professionalism of your brand. 

5. Full Control – Your booking system should enable you to deal direct with your customer and all payments need to go straight to you, not through an agency. You should also be able to choose whether to offer real time online bookings, or provisional bookings which allow you to liaise with the customer in order to confirm the booking. 

6. Help and support – It is important to choose a booking system that includes telephone and email support, as well as a quick and easy guide to getting started with the system.

Kendal is right in the heart of South Lakeland so it is the perfect location as a base for walking, touring and enjoying the unique pleasures of the Lake District. The A591 dual carriageway means easy access to Kendal from the M6 motorway, just 8 miles. Continuing down the A591 and Windermere is only a further 8 miles and just 4 miles on is Ambleside. A Kendal B&B is the perfect location for exploring not just the Lake District but also the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbrian coastline.

There are some great local walks in Kendal and some brilliant ones for low level walkers. A very popular walk is up to the observation point on Scout Scar where there is a 360 degree panorama with the Lake District fells to the north and Morecambe Bay to the south. Walking is not the only activity. Kendal has a climbing wall, a swimming pool, two golf courses and driving ranges. Kendal Golf course is on the side of Kendal Fell with some of the best views from a golf course in the UK.

Kendal itself is a bustling market town full of good shopping from big names to local speciality businesses and luckily, there is a good choice of Kendal bed and breakfast venues to stay in. The market in Kendal, held on a Wednesday and Saturday, attracts many visitors and also now a monthly farmers market. Kendal has a large number of shops and delis supplying local produce and these are growing year by year.  

There are lots of cultural accents in Kendal. The nationally acclaimed Brewery Arts Centre features live drama, music, film, dance and art exhibitions. In fact, Kendal has an excellent artist community with many local artist exhibitions at The Brewery. The Abbot Hall Art Gallery, situated on the banks of the River Kent, has exhibitions from influential artists such as Frank Auerbach and David Bomberg.

Kendal is famous for Kendal mint cake and snuff. Snuff making in Kendal has been operational since 1792 and holds a lot of history in the area. It is still made in Kendal today by two companies which both stem from the originator of snuff making in Kendal. Mint cake is also still made in Kendal by three companies all of which with a long heritage, a combined trading time of over 300 years.

Finally, Kendal also offers Kendal accommodation for business travellers. Kendal is home to offices of national and multinational companies such as Lowe Alpine, The North Face and Furmanite.

Cark-in-Cartmel and Allithwaite are both located at the southern end of the Cartmel Valley and are classic ‘working’ Lakeland villages. This area is beautifully quiet without being remote and has a gentle pace of life. With its location so close to Morecambe Bay this area brings a milder climate than the rest of the Lake District.

The medieval village of Cartmel lies just 1½ miles north and is the oldest and most picturesque village in South Lakeland. The 12th century priory escaped destruction during the Dissolution of Henry VIII and remains one of the finest ecclesiastical buildings in the north of England. The ancient village square is home to two good pubs and is a lovely place to sit and enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. There are another two good pubs just around the corner to visit when staying in Cumbrian cottages.

Cartmel Valley is a gentle, undulating landscape of lush green fields, rolling hills, leafy lanes and tranquil forests. The woodlands are an ideal base for easy access of the whole of the Lake District, Morecambe Bay, the rolling sand dunes of the Cumbrian coast, the Forrest of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Walkers can put away their car keys as there are dozens of walks from their Lake District self catering cottage. The ancient Cistercian Way pass through Cark village and links up to all major walking routes in the Lake District. The Cumbrian Coastal Way also goes through both Cark and Allithwaite and provides spectacular coastal and fell walking for mile after mile. Morecambe Bay, with its vast areas of sand and marshes is a popular haunt for bird watchers, as is nearby Leighton Moss bird sanctuary. The Bay and the Cumbrian coast are great for windsurfing, with clear winds from the south.

If walking is not on the agenda when staying in one of these Lake District cottages then a visit to Holker Hall is a must. Holker Hall is Cumbria’s premier stately home, the home of Lord & Lady Cavendish. Residents and visitors of the village are granted permission to walk freely around the extensive parklands stocked with herds of deer and rare breed cattle and sheep. They also have a farm shop on site where produce from the estate can be purchased.

And finally, for families, a 10 minute drive north leads you to the nostalgic Haverthwaite to Lakeside Steam Railway. This connects to the awaiting Lake Windermere steamers and cruise boats that travel the full length of England’s longest lake where stops can be made at Waterhead (for Ambleside) or Bowness-in-Windermere.

Acrylic paint is a modern media when compared with watercolour and oil. Oil for example has been used by artists as far back at the 15th century and watercolour has been used as an artist medium since the Renaissance. With such history of these other two mediums, acrylic is always fighting to gain recognition. Acrylic has distinct characteristics as oil and watercolour do and the National Acrylic Painters’ Association was set up in 1985 to champion and support this media. Acrylic is capable of the widest range of approaches of any artist media and enables even more creativity, fresh ideas and progression. Artwork has been created in acrylic paint but artists such as Andy Warhol, Robert Motherwell, Mark Rothko, Bridget Riley and David Hockney to name just a few.

There are now a huge number of artists producing canvas artwork using acrylics and making the optimum use of this versatile media. It has enabled canvas art to be bought by a wider audience due to its fast drying nature and artwork can be created much quicker so a real business can be made out of acrylic artwork. Exhibitions have been in such prestigious venues as the Westminster Gallery and the Durham Art Gallery solely exhibiting and championing acrylic work. Books have been written purely on the characteristics of acrylic paint such as “New Tricks and Techniques for Working with the World’s Most Versatile Medium” by Nancy Reyner and “The New Acrylics:Complete Guide to the New Generation of Acrylic Paints.

Taking an environmentally conscious approach is one such way. This approach most obviously benefits the environment but is an excellent marketing tool to help a business grow and attract new customers.

The hotel and leisure industry is notorious for its energy consumption. There is the lighting, the washing and laundry, all the electrical goods within the rooms, the heating, kitchens and then Jacuzzis and swimming pools in the Lake Disitrict spa. All contribute to a huge carbon footprint but also high energy costs. The cost of electricity and gas has increased by 20 % in the last year which is creating a huge impact on the profits of a hotel or bed and breakfast. With the economy being in such a bad way at present and customer confidence in spending is decreasing, this industry can’t afford to put up its prices. After all, it is a highly competitive industry to start with.

Hotels have for some time now put notices in the bathrooms relating to the towels situation, in the bath if you would like them changing, on the rail or elsewhere if they are ok to be used again. This of course makes a difference if you think of how many hotels there are in the world but there is so much more that can be done.

The English Lake District is a haven for walkers and people relocating to live and work to provide a better standard and healthier living than in a city. It is understandable that the Lake District has a high number of environmentally conscious hotels. There are various levels of implementations that can be put into practice within Lake District hotels and accommodation providers from recycling and reusing of materials, to sourcing materials, services and supplies locally. There is then a next step that can be taken for example in the form of creating a renewable energy source for the hotel. One of the hotels in the Lake District that has installed a biomass energy production system which has been enabled by its location amongst a 35 acre managed woodland area. Such a system requires expert input but with the correct guidance, an economically feasible and attractive alternative to the use of LPG can be achieved. After a report had initially been produced, it was summarised that a biomass system would be far more efficient than a new high efficiency LPG boiler, an anaerobic digestion system or solar power system. To put this biomass system into context, the saving made should be at least £35,000 per year for this hotel and leisure complex when comparing it to its previous gas boiler system.  With such a saving, it is extremely evident the amount of unsustainable energy that will be saved.

Most improvements or refurbishments on houses and gardens end up costing far more than was originally expected. By trying to do as much of the work yourself within your capabilities is going to help at times like these. Garage doors for example are items that if working properly are marvellous and add to a property’s aesthetics and value. When not working properly, for example, when they are not opening or closing properly, a car is not safe when inside or imagine the horror if the door won’t open and the car is stuck inside!

An old garage door can look shabby and make the whole property look less desirable especially when it comes to selling a property. A nice, well looked after and in good decorative order garage door is part of the external appeal of a house. With car parking at such a premium these days, having a garage next to the house or integrally can add a lot of value and provide that extra decision making draw for a property.
The cables are components on garage doors that do tend to stop working properly over a period of time. These can be quickly and easily repaired by visiting a garage door spares supplier. Cables can be repaired following careful instructions.

If changing garage door cables yourself, there are some important points to follow:

1. Read carefully any Instructions that are available for your door
2. Always replace both cables/wires at the same time
3. Make sure that you have the correct tools available to enable you to complete the job
4. Make sure that you have the correct garage door parts for the repair.
   (If you are replacing the cables, please also check the roller spindles for wear, as this is a good time to also replace them)
5. Always oil all moving parts.

Finding the model of your garage door is important in order to obtain the correct parts. This information if not known straight away can be found using the points below:

1. Firstly look on the garage door handle, this usually gives you the manufacturers name, ie, Henderson, Cardale, Garador etc.
2. If there is no name on the lock, then look inside the garage, usually on the inside of the garage door there is a manufacturers label, ie, Henderson, Cardale, Garador etc

Safety is always important when carrying out maintenance work yourself. Before attempting to carry out any maintenance or repairs to a garage door it is important to read carefully any Instructions provided for that particular make of door and also to make sure you have all the correct parts and tools necessary. Whilst starting out, remember the springs on garage doors are usually held under a good deal of tension. Finally, before any work is attempted on the garage door, the tension on the spring or springs must be isolated or released, only after this has been done can any work be completed in safety.